ISLAMABAD: Inflation measured through Sensitive Price Index (SPI) edged up for the 11th consecutive week and recorded the highest increase of 1.37 per cent for the combined group driven by an uptick in prices of essential food items for the period ended on September 9, data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics showed on Friday.

For the lowest income group ear­­ning below Rs17,732 per mon­th, the SPI increased by 1.60pc. For the group earning above Rs44,175, inflation rose by 1.20pc.

This was mainly due to an increase in prices of essential items including onions 23.35pc, tomatoes 20.38pc, chicken 7.67pc, wheat flour 4.97pc, eggs 3.83pc, pulse masoor 2.04pc, garlic and potatoes 1.34pc each, vegetable ghee 1kg 1.32pc, washing soap 1.29pc, cooking oil 5 litre 1.22pc and beef 1.11pc.

The items whose prices decreased during the week included bananas 3.09pc, LPG 2.59pc; rice Irri 0.59pc, pulse moong 0.44pc and sugar 0.28pc.

During the week, out of 51 items, prices of 24 items increased, five items decreased and 22 items remained constant.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2021