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ISLAMABAD, Dec 11: Consumer Price Index (inflation) increased by 2.62 per cent during the period July-November, 2003, as compared to corresponding period of previous year, according to monthly review of prices indices issued by the Federal Bureau of Statistics here on Thursday.
The review shows a big difference between CPI and the other indices. Thus the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) is reported to have jumped by 3.18pc and Wholesale Price Index (WPI) by 5.19pc.
The gap is further widened when it comes to the price review for the month of November. As compared to November, 2002, the CPI went up by 4.22pc, SPI by 7.07pc and WPI by 8.21pc.
These increased by 0.60pc, 2.64pc and 1.10pc, respectively, over the month of October, 2003.
The higher rate of increase of SPI is attributable to the fact that the foodstuffs, included in its basket, are becoming increasingly dearer.
The analysis of the groups into which the commodities of CPI basket are divided also shows high increase in index for “food and beverages” - 0.68pc - during November over the previous month. As compared to corresponding period of previous year, it recorded an increase of 5.37pc.
It is topped only by transport & communication with an increase of 1.11pc but only when compared to previous month. It spiralled by 5.24pc over November 2002.
While CPI for “recreation & entertainment” showed a decrease of 0.01pc, six other groups of commodities, as compared to previous month, remained ascendant as follows:
Apparel, textile & footwear (0.57pc), house rent (0.58pc), fuel & lighting (0.50pc), household, furniture & equipment, etc., (0.51pc), education (0.19pc), cleaning, laundry & personal appearance (0.13pc) and medicare (0.01pc).
The main commodities which showed an increase in their prices during November 2003 over October, 2003 are as under:
FOOD & BEVERAGES: Onions (16.34pc), tomatoes (14.32pc), eggs (10.52pc), wheat (6.91pc), mustard oil (4.52pc), maida(3.82pc), wheat flour (3.32pc), vegetable ghee (2.53pc), fresh fruits (2.27pc), cereals (1.58pc), honey (1.03pc) and meat (0.98pc).
APPAREL, TEXTILE & FOOTWARE: Cotton cloth (1.12pc), woollen ready made garments (1.09pc) and silk, linen, woollen cloth (0.62pc).
FUEL & LIGHTING: Kerosene (3.47pc), firewood (2.46pc) and natural gas cylinder (0.79pc).
HOUSEHOLD, FURNITURE & EQUIPMENT ETC: Furnishing (0.98pc) and household servant (0.84pc).
TRANSPORT & COMMUNICATION: Train fare (12.30pc), diesel (4.16pc), petrol (3.03pc) and tyre & tube (0.16pc).
The main commodities which showed a decrease in their prices during November 2003 over the previous month are as under:
FOOD & BEVERAGES: Chicken farm (8.59pc), vegetables (8.08pc), pulse moong (4.02pc), pulse moong (4.02pc), pulse gram (3.98pc), besan (3.96pc), gur (3.76pc), potatoes (2.56pc), sugar (2.35pc), pulse mash (1.98pc), dry fruits (1.72pc) and betel leaves & nuts (1.12pc). WPI: The WPI for food went up by 0.38pc, raw materials by 2.29pc, fuel, lighting & lubricants by 1.11pc, manufactures by 1.81pc and building materials by 1.03pc in November, 2003, as compared to October, 2003.
Their rates, as compared to corresponding period of previous year, increased by 5.99pc, 23.63pc, 4.08pc, 8.63pc and 16.68pc, respectively.
