ISLAMABAD: Inflation rose 0.68 per cent during the week ended on Dec 1 for the combined income group as compared to the previous week.

According to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics on Friday, the sensitive price indicator (SPI) for the week under review in the above-mentioned group was recorded at 222.08 points against 220.57 points recorded last week.

However, the year-on-year increase in SPI during the week under review was 1.69pc.

The weekly SPI is computed by taking 100 as base value for the fiscal year 2007-08, covering 17 urban centres and 53 essential items for all income groups and combined.

Meanwhile, SPI for the lowest income group earning up to Rs8,000 rose 0.51pc as it went up from 212.15 points in the previous week to 213.23 points in the week under review.

The sensitive price indicator rose 0.56pc for the income group earning Rs8,001 to Rs12,000, by 0.64pc for Rs12,001 to Rs18,000, 0.69pc for Rs18,001 to Rs35,000 and by 0.77pc for those earning above Rs35,000.

During the week under review, average prices of 11 items decreased, that of 14 items increased while prices of 28 items remained unchanged.

The items which registered decrease in their prices during the week under review included sugar, powdered milk, mash pulse, gur, cylinder of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), gram pulse, moong pulse, red chilli, potatoes, wheat flour and firewood.

In contrast, items whose prices rose included tomatoes, tea, chicken live (farm), hi-speed diesel, petrol, garlic, onions, vegetable ghee (loose), cooking oil (tin), eggs of hen (farm), bananas, rice basmati (broken), wheat and pulse gram (washed).

The items whose average prices remained steady during the week under review included irri-6 rice, bread, beef, mutton, milk fresh, curd, mustard oil, vegetable ghee (tin), salt powder, cooked beef, cooked daal, tea prepared, cigarettes, long cloth, shirting, lawn, georgette, gents and ladies’ sandal, electricity charges, gas charges, kerosene, electric bulb, washing soap, match box, local telephone call and bath soap.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2016