ISLAMABAD, Oct 6: Sensitive Price Indicator moved up by 0.02 per cent during the week ending October 2, 2003, according to the weekly price statement of the Federal Bureau of Statistics.

In fact, the brunt of the persistent price spiral was borne by the lower and middle income groups. The SPI for the households with incomes up to Rs3000 climbed by 0.07pc, for those in income bracket of Rs3001-5000 by 0.10pc and for those in the income bracket of Rs5001-12000 by 0.11pc.

SPI declined by 0.07pc for the households with incomes above Rs12000, thus reducing the average increase in overall SPI to 0.02pc.

Only six items in the 53-item basket of SPI declined during the period under review. Three of these were hydrocarbon fuels including diesel, petrol and kerosene the prices of which were reduced by 3.30pc, 1.97pc and 1.93pc, respectively.

Besides, the average prices of banana, onions and potatoes declined by 2.68pc, 0.90pc and 0.66pc, respectively.

Based on the prices collected in 17 towns of Pakistan, the prices of 14 essential items increased during the period under review, as compared to previous week. These included:

Tomatoes (9.73pc), chicken farm (2.53pc), LPG (11 kg cylinder) (1.12pc), egg (farm) (0.83pc), gur (0.67pc), mash pulse washed (0.49pc), red chilies (powdered) (0.30pc), moong pulse washed (0.24pc), mustard oil (0.23pc), wheat (0.22pc), garlic (0.17pc), vegetable ghee (loose) (0.16pc), gram pulse washed (0.12pc) and sugar (0.05pc).

Besides, the average rate of CNG too registered an increase of 0.49pc, as compared to previous week.

CEMENT: The period under review saw a decline of 0.28pc in the price of cement, based on the prices prevailing in 8 cities of Pakistan. Its price ranged from Rs210 per 50 kg bag (Hyderabad) to Rs230 (Islamabad and Quetta).