KARACHI:Weekly inflation measured by Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), witnessed an increase of 0.76 percent for combined consumption groups during week ended on July 18, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported.

According to PBS data, SPI for week under review in above-mentioned group was recorded at 321.40 points as compared to 318.96 points during past week. As compared to corresponding week of last year, SPI for combined consumption group in week under review witnessed an increase of 24.36 percent. Weekly SPI with base year 2015-16=100 covers 17 urban centres and 51 essential items for all expenditure groups. SPI for the lowest consumption group of up to Rs 17,732, increased by 0.49 percent and went up to 311.97 points from last week’s 310.46 points. SPI for lowest consumption groups of Rs 17,732-22,888, Rs 22,889-29,517, Rs 29,518-44,175 and above Rs 44,175 increased by 0.58 percent, 0.62 percent, 0.72 and 0.87 percent respectively.

During week, out of 51 items, prices of 29 (56.87pc) items increased, 05 (9.80pc) items decreased and 17 (33.33pc) items remained stable. Items, which recorded major decrease in their average prices on week-on-week basis included tomatoes (4.45pc), bananas (2.25pc), onions (0.99oc), pulse masoor (0.19pc) and LPG (0.12pc). Commodities which recorded major increase in their average prices on week-on-week basis included chicken (10.26pc), powdered milk (4.56pc), petrol (3.77oc), eggs (2.76pc), potatoes (2.30pc), diesel (2.25pc) and garlic (2.20pc). On-year basis, commodities that witnessed decrease wheat flour (31.62pc), cooking oil 5 litre (14.37pc), vegetable ghee 2.5 kg (11.25pc), vegetable ghee 1 kg (10.63pc), mustard oil (8.63pc), eggs (2.99pc), rice basmati broken (2.93pc) and tea packet (2.52pc).

Commodities which recorded an increase in their average prices on year-on-year basis included gas charges for q1 (570.00pc), onions (105.46pc), tomatoes (57.70pc), powered milk (39.15pc), pulse gram (38.55pc), garlic (36.05pc), chilies powder (28.98pc), pulse moong (28.48pc), gents sandal (25.01pc), shirting (24.97pc), salt powder (24.61pc), lpg (23.11pc), pulse mash (22.73pc), beef (22.38pc) and electricity charges for Q1 (21.46pc).