The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), for the week ended on October 20, for the lowest income group up to Rs8000, has registered an increase of 0.32 per cent over the previous week. The SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 170.42 points as against 169.87 points registered in the previous week, according provisional figures of Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS).
The weekly SPI has been computed with base 2007-2008=100, covering 17 urban centres and 53 essential items for all income groups. SPI for the combined group registered an increase of 0.27 per cent as it went up from 176.12 points in the previous week to 176.59 points in the week under review.
As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined group in the week under review witnessed increase of 8.24 per cent.
As compared to the last week, the SPI for the income groups from Rs8001-12,000, 12,001 to 18,000, 18001 to 35,000 and above Rs.35,000 increased by 0.30 per cent, 0.29 per cent, 0.27 per cent and 0.24 per cent respectively. During the week under review average prices of 15 items registered a decrease, while that of 16 items increased with the remaining 22 items’ prices remained unchanged.
The items which recorded decrease in their average prices during the week under review included garlic, potatoes, sugar, bananas, gur, long cloth, pulse, LPG, chicken live, rice, cooked beef, and vegetable ghee. The items which registered increase in their prices included onions, tomatoes, milk powdered, lawn, washing soap, firewood, bread, georgette, eggs, red chillies, rice basmati, beef, wheat, mustard oil, wheat flour and mutton. The items with no change in their average prices during the week under review included fresh milk, curd, cooking oil, vegetable ghee, salt, tea, cigarettes, electric charges, kerosene, energy saver, match box, petrol, diesel and bath soap.
