The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the week ending March 6 recorded a 0.09% decrease, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Friday. The SPI for combined consumption groups dropped to 320.04 points from 320.32 points in the previous week.
Key Highlights:
- Year-on-Year (YoY) Change: Inflation increased by 0.87% compared to the same week last year.
- Lowest Consumption Group: Households spending up to Rs 17,732 saw a 0.20% decline in SPI.
- Consumption Groups SPI Change:
- Rs 17,732 – 22,888: -0.19%
- Rs 22,889 – 29,517: -0.16%
- Rs 29,518 – 44,175: -0.12%
- Above Rs 44,175: -0.03%
Price Decreases (WoW):
Major week-on-week price drops were recorded for:
- Onions (-5.59%)
- Tea packet (-4.47%)
- Garlic (-3.89%)
- Tomatoes (-3.60%)
- Pulse gram (-3.49%)
- Diesel (-2.00%)
- Petrol (-0.24%)
Price Increases (WoW):
Commodities with notable price hikes included:
- Bananas (+9.79%)
- Sugar (+3.15%)
- LPG (+2.64%)
- Eggs (+2.52%)
- Mutton (+0.33%)
- Wheat Flour (+0.22%)
Year-on-Year Trends:
- Major YoY Decreases:
- Onions (-64.92%)
- Tomatoes (-57.05%)
- Wheat flour (-36.81%)
- Tea packet (-14.92%)
- Diesel (-9.91%)
- Petrol (-8.55%)
- Major YoY Increases:
- Ladies’ sandals (+75.09%)
- Bananas (+30.96%)
- Pulse moong (+26.90%)
- Powdered milk (+25.86%)
- Beef (+22.51%)
- Vegetable ghee (1 kg) (+16.12%)
Conclusion:
While the weekly inflation dipped slightly, year-on-year inflation remains a concern, especially for essential food items and consumer goods. The decline in fuel prices provided some relief, but food inflation—especially for bananas, pulses, and dairy—continues to put pressure on consumers.
