ISLAMABAD: Inflation measured through Sensitive Price Index (SPI) rose 1.38 per cent for the week ended on Oct 22 driven by a sharp rise in the prices of essential food items, data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) showed on Friday.

This is the third consecutive week that witnessed an upward increase. In September, the highest jump of 1.3pc in weekly inflation was recorded.

For the lowest income group earning below Rs17,732 per month, the SPI increased by 0.96pc and for the group earning above Rs44,175, it rose by 1.58pc.

This was mainly due to an increase in prices of essential items including tomatoes 41.63pc, diesel 10.06pc, petrol 8.19pc, LPG 7.11pc, mustard oil 2.23pc, vegetable ghee 1kg 1.91pc, bread plain 1.84pc, garlic 1.82pc, washing soap 1.72pc, potatoes 1.57pc, cooking oil 5 liter 1.50pc, bananas 1.40pc, georgette 1.32pc, eggs 1.31pc and vegetable ghee (2.5 kg) 1.25pc.

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2021