The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the week ended on June 27 for the lowest income group of up to Rs 8,000 registered increase of 1.08 percent as compared to the previous week.
The SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 193.86 points against 191.78 points registered in the previous week, according to data from Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). The weekly SPI has been computed with base year as 2007-08, covering 17 urban centers and 53 essential items for all income groups and combined. The SPI for the combined group increased by 1.03 percent as it went up from 197.41 points in the previous week to 199.44 points in the week under review. Compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined group in the week under review witnessed an increase of 5.66 percent. Compared to last week, the SPI for income groups from Rs 8,001-12,000, 12,001-18,000, 18001-35,000 and above Rs 35,000 increased by 1.07 percent, 1.09 percent, 1.08 and 0.95 percent, respectively. During the week under review, average prices of seven items registered decrease, while that of 20 items increases with the prices of remaining 26 items unchanged. The items which registered decrease in their prices during the week under review included diesel, LPG (11 kg cylinder), petrol, onions, kerosene oil and garlic.
Items which recorded increase in their average prices included tomatoes, chicken (farm), egg hen (farm), cigarettes, moong pulse (washed), wheat flour (bag), rice (irri-6), wheat, gas charges, bath soap, mash pulse (washed), beef, bananas, milk (fresh), vegetable ghee (loose), gur, mutton, sugar and red chillies (powder). Items with no change in their average prices during the week under review included rice basmati (broken), bread (plain), curd, milk (powdered), mustard oil, cooking oil (tin), vegetable ghee (tin), potatoes, salt (powdered), tea (packet), cooked beef, cooked pulse, tea prepared, long cloth, shirting, lawn, georgette, sandal (gents), chappal, sandal (ladies), electricity charges, firewood, energy saver, washing soap, match box and a local telephone call.
