ISLAMABAD: The weekly inflation witnessed a decrease of 0.40 percent for combined consumption group during the week, clocking in at 29.42 per cent year-on-year in the week ending Dec 15. Last week, it had been recorded at 30.66per cent.
According to Short-term inflation measured by the Sensitive Price Index (SPI), the data was recorded at 217.64 points as compared to 218.51 points during the past week. As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined consumption group in the week under review witnessed an increase of 29.42 percent.
The weekly SPI with base year 2015-16 =100 is covering 17 urban centres and 51 essential items for all expenditure groups.
PBS data showed that the SPI declined 0.4pc on a week-on-week basis due to a decrease in the prices of tomatoes, potatoes and pulses. The SPI had remained unchanged in the preceding week ending on Dec 8.
The SPI for the lowest consumption group up to Rs 17,732 witnessed 0.77 percent decrease and went down to 225.69 points from last week’s 227.45 points.
Meanwhile, the SPI for the consumption groups from Rs 17,732-22,888; Rs 22,889-29,517; Rs 29,518-44,175 and above Rs 44,175 witnessed decrease of 0.65 percent, 0.51 percent, 0.44 percent and 0.29 percent respectively.
The items which recorded decrease in their average prices on a week-on-week (wow) basis included tomatoes (28.71%), potatoes (16.63%), eggs (2.64%), vegetable ghee 1 kg (0.91%), vegetable ghee 2.5 kg (0.65%), pulse masoor (0.61%), pulse mash (0.44%), cooking oil 5 litre (0.32%) and pulse gram (0.22%).
The commodities which recorded increase in their average prices included chicken (5.89%), onions (4.45%), washing soap (2.30%), wheat flour (2.17%), rice basmati broken (2.04%), rice irri-6/9 (1.74%), sugar (1.31%), firewood (1.27%) and salt powdered (1.08%).