ISLAMABAD, Aug 27: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the week ended on August 24, for the lowest income group up to Rs 3000 and combined has registered nominal increase over previous week.

The SPI for the week under review in above mentioned groups were recorded at 133.45 and 133.10 as against previous week’s 133.22 and 132.95, showing 0.17pc and 0.11pc increase respectively, according to the Federal Bureau of Statistics.

The weekly SPI has been computed with base 2000-01=100 covering 17 urban centres and 53 essential items for all income groups and combined.

During the week under review average prices of 8 items registered decrease, while those of 10 items increased with remaining 35 items’ prices unchanged.

The items which recorded decrease in their average prices during the week under review included tomatoes, bananas, sugar, potatoes, curd, masoor pulse washed, red chillies (powdered) and wheat.

The items which registered increase in their prices included onions, egg (farm), LPG (11 KG Cylinder), tea (prepared), mash pulse washed, chicken (farm), gram pulse washed, garlic, gur and tea (packet).

The items with no change in their average prices during the week under review included wheat flour average quality, rice basmati broken, rice irri-6, moong pulse washed, beef, mutton, bread plain (med. size), milk fresh, milk powdered (Nido), vegetable ghee (tin), vegetable ghee (loose), mustard oil, cooking oil (tin), salt (powdered), cooked beef (plate), cooked dal (plate), cigarettes K-2, coarse latha, lawn, voil printed, shirting, Sandal gents (Bata), Sandal ladies (Bata), chappal spng (Bata), kerosene, firewood, elec. bulb (60-wats), match box, washing soap (nylon), bath soap (lifebuoy), gas charges upto 3.3719 mmbtu, electric charges 1-100, petrol, diesel and telephone charges.—APP