ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the week ended December 16, 2021 recorded an increase of 0.55 percent due to increase in the prices of masoor (4.11 percent), salt (3.70 percent), pulse gram (2.08 percent), bananas (1.69 percent), mustard oil (1.35 percent), maash (1.32 percent), and electricity for Q1 (10.37 percent), says the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

The year-on-year trend depicts increase of 19.49 percent mainly due to increase in electricity (83.95 percent, LPG (65.26 percent), cooking oil 5 litre (60.37 percent), vegetable ghee 1kg (57.56 percent), vegetable ghee 2.5kg (55.62 percent), mustard oil (55.60 percent), washing soap (45.75 percent), petrol (35.42 percent), chilies powdered (32.24 percent), masoor (29.52 percent), and diesel (26.72 percent), while major decrease observed in the prices of onions (28.72 percent), moong (24.87 percent), chicken (16.09 percent), tomatoes (14.76 percent), potatoes (14.58 percent), and eggs (9.86 percent).

According to the latest data, the SPI went up from 167.24 percent during the week ended December 9, 2021 to 168.16 percent during the week under review.

The SPI for the consumption groups up to Rs17,733, Rs17,733 to Rs22,888, Rs22,889 to Rs29,517, Rs29,518 to Rs44,175 and for above Rs44,175 increased by 0.45 percent, 0.98 percent, 0.43 percent, 0.11 percent, and 0.30 percent, respectively.

During the week, out of 51 items, prices of 17 (33.34 percent) items increased, 15 (29.41 percent) items decreased, and 19 (37.25 percent) items remained stable, said the PBS in weekly SPI data.

The commodities, which recorded increase in their average prices include electricity charges for q1 per unit (10.37 percent), masoor (4.11 percent), salt powdered (3.70 percent), pulse gram (2.08 percent), bananas (1.69 percent), mustard oil (1.35 percent), maash (1.32 percent), Sufi washing soap (1.23 percent), shirting (0.97 percent), firewood whole 40kg (0.92 percent), cooked beef (0.81 percent), vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib 2.5 kg tin each (0.69 percent), bread plain (0.43 percent), garlic (0.42 percent), cooked daal (0.39 percent), toilet soap (0.30 percent), and rice irri-6/9 (0.13 percent).

The commodities, which recorded decrease in their prices during the period under review include potatoes (15.52 percent), tomatoes (12.65 percent), chicken (5.94 percent), onions (3.94 percent), hi-speed diesel (3.48 percent), petrol super (3.40 percent), eggs (1.69 percent), gur (1.34 percent), sugar (1.29 percent), chilies powder (0.57 percent), beef with bone (0.54 percent), moong (0.37 percent), rice basmati broken (0.20 percent), mutton (0.15 percent), and wheat flour bag 20kg (0.04 percent).

The commodities, which prices remained unchanged during the period included milk fresh, curd, powdered milk, cooking oil Dalda or other similar brand (sn), 5 litre tin each, vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib or other superior quality 1kg pouch, tea Lipton Yellow Label, tea prepared, cigarettes Capstan, long cloth 57” Gul Ahmed/Al Karam, lawn printed Gul Ahmed/Al Karam, Georgette, gents sandal Bata pair, gents sponge chappal Bata pair, ladies sandal Bata pair, gas charges, energy saver, match box, LPG, and telephone call charges.

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