ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), for the week ended on 22 October, for the lowest income group up to Rs3,000, has registered increase of 0.29 per cent over the previous week.

The SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 238.18 as against 237.50 registered in the previous week, according provisional figures of Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS).

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

SPI for the combined group registered increase of 0.26 per cent by growing up from 227.38 in the previous week to 227.96 in the week under review.

As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for combined group in the week under review witnessed increase of 6.84 percent.

As compared to last week, the SPI for the group falling in the income brackets of 3,001-5,000, 5,001-12,000 and above 12,000 increased by 0.48 per cent, 0.21 per cent and 0.08 per cent respectively.

During the week under review average prices of 13 items registered a decrease, while that of 15 items increased with the price of the remaining 25 being unchanged.

The items which recorded a decrease in their average prices during the week under review included, onions, potatoes, bananas, gram pulse (washed), masoor pulse (washed), LPG (11 kg cylinder), chicken (farm), gur, sugar, vegetable ghee (loose), mustard oil, rice irri-6, rice basmati (broken).

The items which registered an increase in their prices included, electricity bulb (60wats), electricity charges (1-100 unit), egg hen (farm), garlic, moong pulse (washed), tea (prepared), cigarettes, tomatoes, red chillies, beef, firewood, mutton, wheat (average quality), wheat flour (average quality), cooked beef.

The items with no change in their average prices during the week under review included, mash pulse (washed), bread plain (mid size), milk (fresh), milk (powdered), curd, vegetable ghee (tin), cooking oil (tin), salt (powdered), tea (packet), cooked dal plate, coarse latha, lawn, voil (printed), shirting, sandal (gents), sandal (ladies), chappal, kerosene, match box, washing soap, bath soap, gas charges (up to 3.3719MMBTU), petrol, diesel and telephone local call.—APP