ISLAMABAD, Oct 6: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the week ended on October 5, 2006 for lowest income group up to Rs3,000 has registered 0.09 per cent decrease over the previous week.

The SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 148 as against 148.13 recorded in the previous week, according to Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS).

The weekly SPI has been computed with revised base 2000-2001=100 covering 17 urban centres and 53 essential items for all income groups and combined.

During the week under review average prices of 15 items registered decrease, while those of 13 items increased with the remaining 25 items' prices unchanged.

The items, which recorded decrease in their prices during the week under review, included potatoes, mash pulse washed, chicken farm, onions, bananas, moong pulse washed, rice irri-6, eggs (farm), L.P.G (11 KG cylinder), gur, vegetable ghee (loose), tea (packet), masoor pulse washed, tomatoes and milk powder

(Nido).

The items, which recorded increase in their prices, included grams pulse washed, red chillies powder, bread plain (medium), firewood, sugar, wheat, garlic, vegetable ghee (tin), cooking oil (tin), mustard oil, rice basmati broken, mutton and bath soap (lifebuoy).

The items with no change in their average prices, included wheat flour 9average quality, beef, milk fresh, curd, salt (powder), tea (prepared), cooked beef (plate), cooked daal (plate), cigarettes K-2, coarse latha, lawn, viol printed, shirting, sandal gents (Bata), sandals (ladies), chappal sponge (Bata), kerosene, electric bulb, (60 watt), match box, washing soap (nylon), gas up to 3.3719 MMBTU, electricity charges 1-100, petrol, diesel and telephone charges.—APP