ISLAMABAD: Short-term inflation, measured by the Sensitive Price Index (SPI), rose 28.54 per cent on an annual basis in the week ending April 18, official data showed on Friday.

It was the lowest year-on-year increase after Sep 14, 2023.

However, it witnessed a 0.79pc week-on-week decl­i­ne despite a spike in petroleum prices.

The weekly inflation hit a record 48.35pc year-on-year in early May 2023, but then decelerated as low as 24.4pc in late Aug 2023 before surging past 40pc during the week ending on Nov 16, 2023.

The items whose prices increased week-on-week incl­uded potatoes (17.­07pc), tomatoes (12.67pc), chicken (11.60pc), lawn printed and shirting (3.55pc) each, garlic (2.88pc), diesel (2.87pc), beef (2.56pc), georgette (1.91pc), pulse mash (1.62pc), cooked beef (1.31pc) and sugar (1.10pc).

The items whose prices decreased the most over the previous week incl­uded wheat flour (8.97pc), bananas (8.67pc), electricity charges for Q1 (7.16pc), eggs (6.67pc), LPG (2.84pc), onion (1.40pc), chillies powder (1.31pc), cooking oil 5 litre (0.45pc), pulse masoor (0.43pc) and vegetable ghee 2.5 Kg (0.34pc).

However, on an annual basis, following items depict a rise included gas charges for Q1 (570pc), onions (155pc), tomatoes (126.94pc), chilies powder (83.62pc), gents sandal (66.71pc), garlic (65.96pc), gents sponge chappal (58.05pc), salt powder (31.87pc), chicken (30.91pc), energy saver (29.83pc), gur (27.99pc) and pulse mash (26.39pc).

In contrast, the prices of bananas dropped 35.20pc, cooking oil 5-litre (20.91pc), vegetable ghee 2.5kg (17.65pc), vegetable ghee 1 Kg (17.61pc), mustard oil (13.83pc), wheat flour (11.05pc), LPG (6.14pc), eggs (4.51pc) and diesel (0.85pc).

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2024

Follow Dawn Business on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for insights on business, finance and tech from Pakistan and across the world.

Opinion

Editorial

IMF scrutiny
Updated 11 Feb, 2025

IMF scrutiny

Strengthening foundations of the economic superstructure will help make the economy competitive and boost growth.
Shadow voices
11 Feb, 2025

Shadow voices

OVER the weekend, another ‘open letter’ addressed to the army chief and attributed to former prime minister ...
Paradise at a premium
11 Feb, 2025

Paradise at a premium

PAKISTAN’S recent triumph at the New York Travel and Adventure Show 2025, winning the Best Partner Pavilion Award,...
A positive note
Updated 10 Feb, 2025

A positive note

With govt unable to press growth accelerator without upending fragile recovery, sufferings of low-middle-income households are unlikely to disappear soon.
Justice for all
10 Feb, 2025

Justice for all

ALONG with his domestic agenda, Donald Trump is busy ripping to shreds the post-World War II ‘rules-based...
Held back
10 Feb, 2025

Held back

IT is a crying shame how women are conspicuously absent from Pakistan’s civil services. Despite comprising half ...