September 09, 2007	Sunday	Sha'aban 26, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Sept 8: The weekly inflation, measured through Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), went up by 0.03 per cent during the week ending Sept 7, over previous week, according to Federal Bureau of Statistics figures issued here on Saturday.

This surge in SPI has pushed up prices of various items ahead of Ramazan.

A group-wise analysis of the behaviour of prices of 53 essential items prevailing in 17 towns of Pakistan shows that the SPI witnessed an increase of 0.45 per cent and 0.36 per cent, respectively, for household items in two lower income brackets (up to Rs3,000 and Rs5,000).

For households in income brackets Rs5,001-12,000, the increase in the SPI was in the range of 0.17 per cent. However, for households in the income group basket of over Rs12,000, the inflation registered a decline of 0.12 per cent over previous week.

Comparing with the corresponding week last year, the SPI registered an overall increase of 8.38 per cent during the period under review.

According to data, prices of 20 items went up as compared to the previous week. The price of onions increased by 7.29 per cent to Rs20.60 per kg as against Rs19.20; an increase of 3.66 per cent in match box, which stood at Rs0.85 during the week as against Rs0.82.

The price of LPG (11 kg) cylinder increased by 2.72 per cent to Rs591.87 each from Rs576.18, wheat flour 2.05 per cent to Rs15.43 per kg as against Rs15.12, 2.03 per cent increase in wheat to Rs13.05 per kg as against Rs12.79, rice irri-6 0.90 per cent to Rs23.42 per kg from Rs23.21; mustard oil 0.78 per cent to Rs93.88 per kg as against Rs93.15, salt powdered 0.61 per cent to Rs4.91 per kg as against Rs4.88, rice basmati broken 0.60 per cent to Rs31.86 per kg as against Rs31.67.

The price of electric bulb (60 watts) increased by 0.50 per cent to Rs12.18 each as against Rs12.12, firewood was up 0.38 per cent to Rs203.96 per 40 kg as against Rs203.18, masoor washed 0.36 per cent to Rs55.15 per kg as against Rs54.95, gur by 0.36 per cent to Rs36.31 per kg as against Rs36.18, vegetable ghee (loose) 0.31 per cent to Rs87.90 per kg as against Rs87.63, kerosene oil 0.31 per cent to Rs39.21 per litre as against Rs39.09.

The shirting price was up by 0.25 per cent to Rs68.81 per metre as against Rs68.64, bread (plain medium size) 0.18 per cent to Rs16.74 each as against Rs16.71, sugar 0.17 per cent to Rs29.97 per kg as against Rs29.92, milk fresh 0.07 per cent to Rs29.20 per kg as against Rs29.18 and curd 0.06 per cent to Rs34.48 per kg as against Rs34.46.