ISLAMABAD, June 15: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the week ended on June 14, for the lowest income group up to Rs.8,000 registered increase of 0.64 per cent as compared to the previous week.

The SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 177.12 points against 175.99 points registered in the previous week, according to provisional figures of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (FBS).

The weekly SPI has been computed with base 2007-2008=100, covering 17 urban centers and 53 essential items for all income groups and combined.

The SPI for the combined group increased by 0.72 per cent as it went up from 187.19 points in the previous week to 188.54 points in the week under review.

As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined group in the week under review witnessed an increase of 12.25 percent. As compared to the last week, the SPI for the income groups from Rs.8001-12,000, 12,001-18,000, 18001-35,000 and above Rs.35,000 increased by 0.69, 0.74, 0.76 and 0.71 respectively.

Average prices of 10 items registered decrease while 18 items showed an increase. The remaining 25 items' prices were unchanged.

The items which recorded decrease in their average prices during the week under review included tomatoes, bananas, egg hen (farm), red chillies (powder),mash pulse (washed), potatoes, vegetable ghee (loose), moong pulse (washed), wheat and wheat flour (bag).

The items which registered increase in their prices included chicken live (farm), onions, LPG (11 kg cylinder), cigarettes, garlic, milk (fresh), curd, cooking oil (tin), sugar, cooked beef, rice (irri-6), vegetable ghee (tin), washing soap, rice basmati (broken), mutton, beef, gur and mustard oil. The items with no change in their average prices  included bread (plain),milk (powdered), masoor pulse (washed), gram pulse (washed), salt (powdered), tea (packet), cooked dal, tea (prepared), long cloth, shirting, lawn, georgette, sandal (gents), chappal (gents), sandal (ladies), electric charges, gas charges, kerosene oil, firewood, energy saver, match box, petrol, diesel, telephone local call and bath soap. —APP