ISLAMABAD: Inflation measured through the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) fell 0.43 per cent for the week ended on Jan 13 driven by a drop in essential food item prices, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) said on Friday.

The PBS data showed that SPI-based inflation dropped after an increase in the previous week. In November, the highest jump of 1.81pc in weekly inflation was recorded.

For the lowest income group earning below Rs17,732 per month, the SPI decreased by 0.30pc. For the group earning above Rs44,175, it declined by 0.44pc.

The overall decline was mainly due to a fall of 3.40pc in chicken prices followed by eggs 2.99pc, potatoes 1.65pc, tomatoes 1.26pc, wheat flour 0.61pc, garlic 0.47pc, sugar 0.17pc and curd 0.16pc. Among non-food item, the price of LPG fell 1.15pc.

The items whose prices increased during the week included onions 14.65pc, bananas 1.51pc, firewood 1.30pc and match box 1.14pc.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2022