May 17, 2008	Saturday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 11, 1429

ISLAMABAD, May 16: The weekly inflation increased by 26.25 per cent during the week ended on May 15 over last year, said the Statistics Division data issued on Friday.

This higher than expected increase in the weekly inflation, measured through the Sensitive Price Index (SPI), occurred on the back of rising food and oil prices over the corresponding period of last year.

The inflation, however, recorded a marginal increase of 0.78 per cent during the week under review over previous week.

The four-time increase in the oil prices during the past two months escalated prices of 32 items, mostly essential kitchen items.

The impact of the increase in the SPI was more on the low-income group as compared to the rich and influential.

The SPI witnessed an increase of 29.89 and 29.16 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 26.88 per cent, and for households in the income basket of over Rs12,000, the inflation registered a growth of 23.22 per cent over the week last year.Prices of 32 items went up as compared to the previous week.

Prices of bananas increased by 11.12 per cent to Rs46.67 per dozen as against Rs42; while an increase of 8.58 per cent was witnessed in rice irri-6, which stood at Rs38.32 per kg during the week under review as against Rs44.50; rice basmati broken increased by 5.61 per cent to Rs52.52 per kg from Rs49.73; and masoor pulse washed by 3.82 per cent to Rs102.96 per kg as against Rs99.17.

The price of potato went up by 3.79 per cent to Rs15.61 per kg as against Rs15.04; vegetable ghee increased by 3.19 per cent to Rs130.90 per kg from Rs126.85; wheat by 3.14 per cent to Rs19.37 per kg from Rs18.78; and cooked dal plate 2.55 per cent to Rs23.32 per kg as against Rs22.74.

Sugar prices increased by 2.51 per cent to Rs27.79 per kg as against Rs27.11 and; onions rates went up by 2.33 per cent to Rs15.38 per kg as against Rs15.03.

The gur price increased by 2.32 per cent to Rs30.83 per kg as against Rs30.13; coarse latha witnessed a rise of 2.29 per cent to Rs41.99 per metres against Rs41.05; and wheat flour went up by 2.10 per cent to Rs22.80 per kg against Rs22.33.

Prices of LPG 11kg cylinder went up by 1.87 per cent to Rs607.44 each as against Rs596.29; moong pulse washed increased by 1.59 per cent to Rs56.32 per kg against Rs55.44; and washing soap nylon 1.09 per cent to Rs11.16 per cake against Rs11.04.

Prices of voil printed increased by 1.05 per cent to Rs43.45 per metres as against Rs43, while an increase of 0.99 per cent was witnessed in lawn, which stood at Rs89.68 per metres during the week under review as against Rs88.88; gram pulse washed increased by 0.86 per cent to Rs59.92 per kg from Rs59.41; and beef by 0.86 per cent to Rs127.43 per kg as against Rs126.34.

Prices of cooked beef plate increased by 0.85 per cent to Rs35.72 each as against Rs35.42; curd witnessed a rise of by 0.67 per cent to Rs38.91 per kg as against Rs38.65; and bath soap went up by 0.62 per cent to Rs19.41 per cake against Rs19.29; kerosene went up 0.61 per cent to Rs49.58 per litres from Rs49.28; firewood up by 0.58 per cent to Rs237.74 per 40 kg against Rs236.37; bread plain mid- size increased by 0.56 per cent to Rs19.79 each from Rs19.68; and electric bulb 60 Watts surged by 0.46 per cent to Rs13.03 each from Rs12.97.

Prices of mustard oil increased by 0.43 per cent to Rs143.79 per kg as against Rs143.18; tea prepared witnessed a rise of 0.41 per cent to Rs7.37 per cup as against Rs7.34; and milk fresh went up by 0.40 per cent to Rs32.80 per kg against Rs32.67; mash pulse washed went up 0.23 per cent to Rs73.01 per kg from Rs72.84; and mutton prices went up by 0.09 per cent to Rs244.36 per kg as against Rs244.15.