ISLAMABAD, May 29: The Sensitive Price Indicator showed a slight decline of 0.02 per cent during the week ending May 27 as compared to the previous week, says the weekly price review released by the Federal Bureau of Statistics here on Saturday.

The decline was mainly attributable to 1.43pc decrease in the average rate of wheat flour from Rs12.60 to Rs12.42pc per kg on average. When compared to the same period of previous year, however, its average rate was up by 25.96pc.

A closer look at the prices prevailing in 17 cities, included in the SPI, shows that the rate of wheat flour ranged from Rs9.90 per kg (Faisalabad) to Rs14.50 per kg (Karachi).

Due to comparative reduction in the rates of some other foodstuffs consumed by the lower income groups, the period under review was relatively benign particularly for the households with incomes up to Rs3,000 per month.

This group was followed by households in the income bracket Rs3,001-5,000 and those with incomes in the range Rs5,001-12,000, the SPI decreased by 0.08pc and 0.04pc, respectively.

Apart from the wheat flour, prices of seven other items also declined from the previous week as follows:

Onions (-1.30pc), egg (farm) (-1.30pc), potatoes (-0.84pc), gram pulse washed (-0.29pc), sugar (-0.28pc), chicken farm (-0.06pc) and vegetable ghee (loose).

As regards the commodity groups, the FBS statement shows a decline of 0.03pc in the food group and increase of 0.03pc in the non-food group in aggregate for all the income groups.

But the number of items whose prices jumped during the period under review was double than that of items which became relatively cheaper. It was due to this fact that the SPI for the highest income group with incomes above Rs12,000 rose by 0.03pc.

The prices of following items increased over the previous week: Tomatoes (6.98pc), bananas (2.22pc), red chilies (powdered) (1.55pc), beef (1.39pc), garlic (1.18pc), gur (0.62pc), LPG (11 kg cylinder) (0.61pc), mash pulse washed (0.56pc), shirting (0.50pc), bread plain medium size (0.48pc), moong pulse washed (0.44pc), wheat (0.38pc), curd (0.36pc), milk fresh (0.25pc), masoor pulse washed (0.22pc) and mutton (0.16pc).

CEMENT: The average rate of cement, based on the data of eight cities, showed an increase of 0.24pc over the previous week. It shot up to Rs250 per 50 kg bag in Quetta, while the lowest it dipped was in Hyderabad where it was reportedly selling at Rs220.