ISLAMABAD – The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), for the lowest income group up to Rs.3,000, has increased by 0.48 percent for the week ended on December 23 in comparison to the previous week. The SPI was recorded at 299.27 points as against 297.83 points in the previous week, according to figures of Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS).
The weekly SPI has been computed with base 2000-2001=100 covering 17 urban centers and 53 essential items for all income groups and combined. SPI for the combined group also swelled by 0.48 percent as it went up from 282.40 points in the previous week to 283.75 points in the week under review.
A comparison with the corresponding week of last year revels that the SPI for the combined group increased by 22.05 percent.
The SPI for the income groups ranging from Rs.3001-5000, Rs.5001-12000 and above Rs.12000 has posted an increase of 0.50 percent, 0.49 percent and 0.41 percent respectively.
During the week under review, average prices of seven items dwindled, while prices of 18 items increased. Prices for the residual 28 items’ stayed unchanged.
The items which recorded a decline in their average prices include potatoes, gur, sugar, mash pulse (washed), garlic, masoor pulse (washed), moong pulse (washed). The items undergoing an increase in their prices included tomatoes, onions, egg hen (farm), tea (packet), salt powdered, vegetable ghee (loose), washing soap, cooking oil (tin), onions, LPG(11 kg cylinder), rice basmati (broken), red chilies, firewood, gram pulse (washed), chicken (farm), bananas, rice (irri-6),mustard oil, wheat (average quality) and wheat flour (average quality).
Items with no change in their average prices included beef, mutton, bread plain (mid size), milk (fresh), milk (powdered), curd, vegetable ghee (tin), cooking oil (tin), tea (prepared), cooked beef, cooked dal, cigarettes, coarse latha, lawn, voil (printed), sandal (gents), sandal (ladies), chappal, Kerosene, electricity bulb, match box, bath soap, gas charges (up to 3.3719 MMBTU), electricity charges (1-100 unit), petrol, diesel and telephone local call.
