April 27, 2008	Sunday	Rabi-us-Sani 20, 1429

ISLAMABAD, April 26: The weekly inflation, measured through the Sensitive Price Index (SPI), increased by 23.71 per cent during the week ended on April 25, over the corresponding period of last year, according to the Statistics Division data issued on Saturday.

The third consecutive increase in oil prices during the last around two months escalated prices of 29 goods, mostly essential kitchen items, which pushed the overall inflation to a new height, piling pressure on the new government to tame prices.

Rising prices of food items are hitting the people from the low-income group more as compared to the rich.

The SPI witnessed an increase of 26.65 and 26.15 per cent, respectively, for households in the two lower income brackets of up to Rs3,000 and Rs3,001 to Rs5,000.

For households in the income brackets of Rs5,001 to 12,000, the increase in the SPI was in the range of 24.32 per cent, and for households in the income basket of over Rs12,000, the inflation registered a growth of 21.16 per cent over the week last year.

As compared to the previous week, the SPI registered an increase of 1.13 per cent for almost all income groups.

Prices of 29 items went up as compared to the previous week.

Prices of red chillies increased by 26.42pc to Rs218.14 per kg as against Rs172.55, while an increase of 8.01 per cent was witnessed in rice-irri-6 which stood at Rs37.61 per kg during the week under review as against Rs34.82, rice basmati broken increased by 6.86 per cent to Rs45.30 per kg from Rs42.39, and of diesel by 6.85 per cent to Rs47.28 per kg as against Rs44.25.

The prices of gram pulse washed went up by 6.40 per cent to Rs50.54 per kg as against Rs47.50, petrol increased by 4.79 per cent to Rs66.03 per litre from Rs63.01, potatoes 4.61 per cent to Rs13.17 per kg from Rs12.59 and bananas three per cent to Rs37.40 per dozen as against Rs36.29.

Egg prices increased by 2.89 per cent to Rs55.13 per dozen as against Rs53.58, onions increased by 2.21 per cent to Rs12.02 per kg as against Rs11.76.

The wheat flour price increased by 1.56 per cent to Rs22.15 per kg as against Rs21.81, cooked dal plate witnessed a rise of 1.54 per cent to Rs22.45 each against Rs22.11, and masoor pulse washed went up by 1.37 per cent to Rs84.16 per kg as against Rs83.02.

Prices of wheat went up by 1.32 per cent to Rs19.14 per kg as against Rs18.89, gur increased 1.10 per cent to Rs28.48 per kg as against Rs28.17 and kerosene 0.95 per cent to Rs49.02 per litre against Rs48.56.

Prices of beef increased by 0.94 per cent to Rs126.05 per kg as against Rs124.87, sugar witnessed a rise of by 0.88 per cent to Rs25.13 per kg as against Rs24.91 and moong pulse washed went up by 0.85 per cent to Rs53.16 per kg against Rs52.71.

The price of cooked beef plate increased by 0.65 per cent to Rs35.42 each against Rs35.19, 0.62 per cent in mustard oil to Rs142.99 per kg against Rs142.11, mutton by 0.59 per cent to Rs243.27 against Rs241.84, voil printed 0.49 per cent to Rs42.92 per kg against Rs42.71, washing soap nylon 0.49 per cent to Rs10.99 per cake against Rs10.94, 0.33 per cent in lawn to Rs88.88 per metre against Rs88.59, 0.32 per cent in bath soap Lifebuoy to Rs19 per cake against Rs18.94, 0.29 per cent in garlic to Rs38.62 per kg against Rs38.51, 0.17 per cent in vegetable ghee loose to Rs126.49 per kg against Rs126.28 and 0.06 per cent to Rs31.97 per litre against Rs31.95.