The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the lowest income group up to Rs8,000 for this week, ended on July 11, registered an increase of 0.39 per cent in contrast to the previous week. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), this particular SPI was recorded at 195.69 points against 194.93 points registered in the previous week. The weekly SPI is computed with base 2007-2008=100, covering 17 urban centers and 53 essential items for all income groups and combined. The SPI for the combined group during the same duration increased by 0.36%, as it went up from 200.53 points to 201.25. In contrast to the corresponding weeks of the previous year, the SPI for the combined group saw an increase of 9.48%. Compared to the previous week, the SPI for the income groups from Rs 8001- 12,000, 12,001-18,000, 18001-35,000 and above Rs 35,000 increased by 0.37, 0.38, 0.36 and 0.34% respectively. During the week under review, average prices of 15 items decreased, 19 increased while 19 others remained unchanged. The items which registered a decrease in their prices included chicken live (farm), egg hen (farm), gram pulse (washed), LPG (11kg cylinder), wheat flour (bag), vegetable ghee (tin), gur, mustard oil, cooking oil (tin), red chillies (powder), vegetable ghee (loose) masoor pulse (washed), mash pulse (washed), kerosene oil and sugar. The items which recorded increase in their average prices included tomatoes, bananas, potatoes, onions, cigarettes, shirting, moong pulse (washed) georgette, rice (irre-6), garlic, long cloth, beef, rice( basmati broken), tea (packet) lawn, washing soap, mutton, wheat and curd.
