ISLAMABAD: Weekly inflation increased by 8.55 per cent during the week ended on February 2 over the corresponding period last year, mainly driven by oil and food prices.

Sensitive Price Index (SPI) inflation saw an increase of 5.36 per cent, 6.49 per cent and 6.97 per cent, respectively, for households in lower income brackets of up to Rs8,000, Rs8,001 to Rs12,000 and Rs12,001 to Rs18,000.

For households in the income brackets of Rs18,001 to Rs35,000, SPI increased by 8.57 per cent, and for households in the income level of over Rs35,000, SPI grew by 10.57 per cent over the corresponding period last year.

23 SPI items witnessed price increases during the period under review.

Tomatoes rose by 7.43 per cent to Rs49.42 per kg from Rs42.63, petrol by 30.25 per cent to Rs96.01 per litre from Rs90.59, diesel by 32.02 per cent to Rs104.4 per litre from Rs99.78 and kerosene 27.82 per cent to Rs106.26 per litre from Rs103.21.

Banana prices rose by 13.88 per cent to Rs54.38 per kg from Rs53.73, cooked daal plate by 8.58 per cent to R37.46 each from Rs37.12, potatoes by 4.05 per cent to Rs18.51 per kg from Rs18.41 and shirting 24.73 per cent to Rs109.06 per metre from Rs108.48.

Beef prices went up to Rs255.45 per kg from Rs254.27, energy saver 14 WATS by 0.42 per cent to Rs140.74 each from Rs140.15, firewood by 24.61 per cent to Rs460.06 per 40 kg from Rs458.49 and mutton by 17.06 per cent to Rs487.8 per kg from Rs486.72.

Fresh milk prices increased by 15.52 per cent to Rs57.84 per litre from Rs57.75, LPG 11 kg cylinder by 14.48 per cent to Rs1546.19 each from Rs1543.82, washing soap by 15.09 per cent to Rs18.08 per bar from Rs18.06 and wheat flour bag 0.19 per cent to Rs307.72 per 10 kg from Rs307.62.