Weekly inflation increases by 1.18pc

ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), for the week ended on November 12, 2009, for the lowest income group up to Rs3,000 has registered an increase of 1.18 per cent over the previous week.

The SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 243.16 as against 240.32 registered in the previous week that ended on November 5, according to provisional figures by the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS).

The weekly SPI has been computed with base 2000-2001=100 covering 17 urban centers and 53 essential items for all income groups and combined.

SPI for the combined group also increased by 0.92 per cent as it went up from 229.66 in the previous week to 231.78 in the week under review.

As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for combined group in the week under review witnessed an increase of 10.51 per cent.

As compared to the last week, the SPI for the income groups ranging from Rs3001-5000, Rs5001-12000 and above Rs12000 increased by 1.10 per cent, 1.01 per cent and 0.78 per cent respectively.

During the week under review prices of six items witnessed decrease, the FBS figures revealed.

Prices of irri-6 rice decreased by 1.91 per cent from Rs34.06 in the last week to Rs33.41 during the week under review.

Similarly prices of rice basmati (broken) decreased by 0.44 per cent (from Rs43.56 to Rs43.37), gram pulse (washed) by 0.29 per cent (from Rs48.90 to Rs48.76), mustard oil by 0.22 per cent (from Rs130.08 to Rs129.79) masoor pulse (washed) by 0.12 per cent (from Rs121.54 to Rs121.40) and prices of wheat flour (average quality) decreased by 0.07 per cent (from Rs28.89 to Rs28.87).

Sugar prices witnessed the highest increase during the week under review as it surged by 15.57 per cent from Rs46.62 to Rs53.88, the figures added.

Similarly, prices of moong pulse (washed) increased by 13.80 per cent (from Rs60.20 to Rs68.51), potatoes by 6.32 per cent (from Rs28.17 to Rs29.95) mash pulse washed by 5.55 per cent (from Rs113.27 to Rs119.56), red chilies by 5.12 per cent (from Rs144.85 to Rs152.27) and tomatoes by 3.94 per cent (from Rs31.49 to Rs32.73).

During the week under review, prices of onions increased by 3.58, garlic by 2.40 per cent, firewood by 1.28, cooked dal plate 1.08 per cent, tea (packet) by 0.85 per cent, bananas by 0.67 per cent, chicken (farm) by 0.56 per cent, beef by 0.52, LPG(11 kg cylender) by 0.46 per cent, mutton by 0.39 per cent, wheat (average quality) by 0.31 per cent, gur by 0.10 per cent, vegetable ghee (loose) by 2.34 and prices of egg hen (farm) increased by 0.04 per cent.

The items that witnessed no change in their prices during the week under review included bread plain (mid size), milk (fresh), milk (powdered), curd, vegetable ghee (tin), cooking oil (tin), salt (powdered), tea (prepared), cooked beef, cigarettes, coarse latha,
lawn, voil (printed), shirting, sandal (gents), sandal (ladies), chappal, kerosene, electricity bulb, match box, washing soap, bath soap, gas charges (up to 3.3719 MMBTU), electricity charges (1-100), petrol, diesel and telephone local call.—APP