ISLAMABAD, Sept 15: Sensitive Price Indicator recorded an increase of 0.26 per cent during the week ending September 11, 2003, over the previous week.

According to the weekly price statement of the Federal Bureau of Statistics here on Monday, the index rose to 109.75 with 2000-01 as the base year.

SPI spiralled the highest for the lowest income households with incomes up to Rs3,000 per month — by 0.30pc. It affected other income groups in descending order, that is, by 0.29pc for households in the income range Rs3,001-5,000, by 0.27pc for those in the income range Rs5,001-12,000 and by 0.21pc for those incomes above Rs12,000.

Analyzed on the basis of groups of commodities, the main increase was in respect of food group — 0.36pc for households at the bottom of the income ladder. The non-food group underwent a 0.09pc rise.

Thus the increase in SPI was related particularly to the goods consumed mainly by the poorest households.

Conspicuous by its absence — the first in about two months — was wheat and wheat flour from the list of 13 items that became dearer during the period under review, compared to previous week.

These included: Onions (15.66pc), potatoes (1.90pc), tomatoes (1.81pc), egg (farm) (1.64pc), chicken farm (1.49pc), gur (1.17pc), sugar (0.97pc), mash pulse washed (0.92pc), firewood (0.58pc), rice basmati broken (0.42pc), washing soap (nylon) (0.13pc) and moong pulse washed (0.10pc).

Based on a survey of 17 towns, the rates of only six out of 53 essential items comprising the SPI basket, decreased during the period under review, as compared to previous week.