According to the latest data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) based inflation for the week ended February 16, 2023, registered an increase of 2.89 per cent. The rise in inflation can be attributed to an increase in the prices of both food and non-food items.

Food Items that saw an increase in prices

The following food items saw a significant increase in prices during the week ended February 16, 2023:

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  • Cooking oil 5 litre (8.65 per cent)
  • Vegetable ghee 1kg (8.02 per cent)
  • Bananas (8.01 per cent)
  • Chicken (7.49 per cent)
  • Vegetable ghee 2.5 kgs (6.76 per cent)

Non-food items that saw an increase in prices

The following non-food items saw an increase in prices during the week ended February 16, 2023:

  • Petrol (8.82 per cent)
  • Diesel (6.49 per cent)
  • Cigarettes (6.18 per cent)

Year-on-Year Trend

The year-on-year trend depicts an increase of 38.42 per cent mainly due to an increase in the prices of the following items:

  • Onions (433.44 per cent)
  • Chicken (101.86 per cent)
  • Diesel (81.36 per cent)
  • Eggs (81.22 per cent)
  • Rice irri-6/9 (74.12 per cent)
  • Rice basmati broken (73.05 per cent)
  • Petrol (69.87 per cent)
  • Moong (67.98 per cent)
  • Bananas (67.68 per cent)
  • Tea Lipton (63.89 per cent)
  • Pulse gram (56.93 per cent)
  • Bread (55.36 per cent)
  • Maash (53.42 per cent)
  • LPG (52.68 per cent)
  • Cigarettes (50.02 per cent)

On the other hand, the prices of tomatoes (65.30 per cent), electricity for q1 (7.50 per cent), and chillies powdered (7.42 per cent) saw a decrease during the same period.

SPI for the week under review

The SPI for the week under review in the above-mentioned group was recorded at 234.77 points against 228.17 points registered in the previous week. Out of 51 items, prices of 34 (66.67 per cent) items increased, 05 (9.80 per cent) items decreased and 12 (23.53 per cent) items remained stable.

SPI for different consumption groups

The SPI for the consumption group up to Rs17,732, Rs17,732-22,888, Rs22,889-29,517, Rs29,518-44,175 and above Rs44,175 consumption group increased by 2.45 per cent, 2.73 per cent, 2.79 per cent, 2.88 per cent, and 2.94 per cent, respectively.

Items that recorded an increase in average prices

The following items recorded an increase in their average prices during the week over previous:

  • Petrol super (8.82 per cent)
  • Cooking oil Dalda or other similar brand (sn), 5 litre tin each (8.65 per cent)
  • Vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib or other superior quality 1 kg pouch each (8.02 per cent)
  • Bananas (8.01 per cent)
  • Chicken (7.49 per cent)
  • Vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib 2.5 kg tin each (6.76 per cent)
  • Hi-speed diesel (6.49 per cent)
  • Cigarettes Capstan (6.18 per cent)