ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Index (SPI) inflation increased by 44.64 percent year-on-year basis due to an increase in the prices of gas charges (1108.59 per cent), wheat flour (65.03 per cent) and sugar (57.26 per cent), Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) said.

The SPI for the week ended on 18th January 2024 increased by 0.34 per cent due to an increase in the prices of onions (8.69 per cent), tomatoes (7.51 per cent), energy sever (2.72 per cent), chicken (2.26 per cent), garlic (2.18 per cent), bananas (2.14 per cent), eggs (1.89 per cent), match box (1.67 per cent), maash (1.59 per cent), and moong (1.46 per cent).

The year-on-year trend depicts an increase of 44.64 per cent mainly due to increase in the prices of gas charges for q1 (1108.59 per cent), tomatoes (183.16 per cent), cigarettes (93.22 per cent), chilies powder (81.74 per cent), wheat flour (65.03 per cent), garlic (60.45 per cent), gents sponge chappal (58.05 per cent), sugar (57.26 per cent), gents sandal (53.37 per cent), rice irri-6/9 (49.95 per cent), gur (49.45 per cent) and eggs (47.54 per cent) while a decrease is observed in the prices of mustard oil (6.86 per cent), bananas (2.39 per cent), onions (2.00 per cent) and vegetable ghee 1kg (1.17 per cent).

During the week, out of 51 items, prices of 22 (43.14 per cent) items increased, 08 (15.68 per cent) items decreased and 21 (41.18 per cent) items remained stable.

The SPI for the week under review was recorded at 319.66 points against 317.92 points registered in the previous week, according to the PBS data released on Friday.

The SPI for the consumption group up to Rs17,732 and Rs17,732-Rs22,888, Rs22,889 Rs29,517, Rs29,518-Rs44,175 and above Rs44,175 increased by 0.61 per cent, 0.54 per cent, 0.46 per cent, 0.40 per cent and 0.23 per cent respectively.

The items prices of which increased during the period review include onions (8.69 per cent), tomatoes (7.51 per cent), energy saver (2.72 per cent), chicken (2.26 per cent), garlic (2.18 per cent), bananas (2.14 per cent), eggs (1.89 per cent), match box (1.67 per cent), maash (1.59 per cent), pulse moong (1.46 per cent), rice irri-6/9 (1.33 per cent), beef with bone (1.23 per cent), pulse gram (1.18 per cent), firewood whole 40 kg (0.89 per cent), LPG (0.86 per cent), mutton (0.44 per cent), shirting (0.33 per cent), masoor (0.33 per cent), rice basmati broken (0.32 per cent), cooked daal (0.30 per cent), mustard oil (0.25 per cent), and cooked beef (0.10 per cent).

The items prices of which decreased during the period under review include potatoes (3.85 per cent), petrol super (2.99 per cent), sugar (0.90 per cent), tea Lipton Yellow Label 190 gm packet each (0.20 per cent), vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib 2.5kg tin each (0.14 per cent), cooking oil Dalda or other similar brand (sn), 5 litre tin each (0.08 per cent), wheat flour bag 20kg (0.07 per cent) and gur (0.04 per cent).—TAHIR AMIN