ISLAMABAD: Inflation measured through Sensitive Price Index (SPI) posted an increase of 0.40 per cent for the week ended on Dec 23 driven by a sharp increase in the prices of essential food items, data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) showed on Friday.

For the lowest income group earning below Rs17,732 per month, the SPI increased by 0.28pc and for the group earning above Rs44,175, it increased by 0.46pc. This was mainly due to an increase of 7.28pc in tomatoes, eggs 2.95pc, pulse masoor 1.72pc, sugar 1.46pc. The increase witnessed in non-food items include gents sponge chappal 20.08pc, ladies sandal 16.69pc, gents sandal 8.34pc, LPG 5.03pc and georgette 1pc.

The items whose prices declined during the week included potatoes 5.26pc, chilli powdered 4.16pc, onions 2.80pc, gur 0.76pc and wheat flour 0.12pc.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2021