Pakistan’s weekly inflation rose 0.65 percent in the week ended October 22, with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and chicken prices leading the increase, while cheaper tomatoes and fuel offered some relief to consumers.
The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), which tracks the prices of essential items, increased 11.85 percent from a year earlier, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
LPG prices recorded the sharpest weekly increase, surging 22.44 percent, followed by chicken, which became 12.20 percent more expensive. Onion prices rose 4.19 percent, while shirting fabric and plain bread recorded increases of 1.86 percent and 1.66 percent, respectively.
Wheat flour prices edged up 1 percent, while garlic, firewood, vegetable ghee, beef and pulse mash also became more expensive during the week.
However, several items became cheaper, helping to offset some of the increases. Tomato prices fell 21.99 percent week-on-week, while petrol dropped 3.63 percent and bananas became 2.42 percent cheaper. Diesel prices declined 1.68 percent, followed by potatoes at 1.38 percent.
Eggs, powdered milk, sugar, broken basmati rice and gram pulses also recorded price declines.
Of the 51 items tracked by the SPI, prices of 19 increased during the week, while 12 fell. The remaining 20 items remained unchanged.
LPG prices more than double in a year
The annual figures show that households continue to face higher costs for several essential goods and utilities, even as some food items have become cheaper.
LPG prices more than doubled, rising 107.12 percent compared with the same period last year. Onion prices climbed 72.81 percent, while electricity charges for the first quarterly adjustment rose 58.59 percent.
Petrol prices increased 44.17 percent year-on-year, while diesel became 41.56 percent more expensive. Chicken prices rose 38.99 percent, and wheat flour recorded an increase of 36.49 percent.
Other items that became more expensive included powdered chillies, mutton, beef, plain bread and prepared tea.
The annual trend was more favourable for some food items. Tomato prices plunged 71.72 percent, while potatoes fell 40.75 percent and sugar declined 25 percent. Eggs were 22.14 percent cheaper than a year earlier.
Salt, masoor pulse, gur and moong pulse also recorded annual price declines.
Urea prices flat, cement gets cheaper
Outside the household basket, the average price of a 50kg bag of Sona urea remained unchanged at Rs4,780 during the week. However, it was still 9.37 percent more expensive than a year earlier.
Cement prices edged down 0.28 percent week-on-week, taking the average price of a 50kg bag to Rs1,596. Despite the weekly decline, cement remained 14.54 percent more expensive than in the corresponding period last year.
The SPI measures price movements of 51 essential commodities across 50 markets in 17 cities. Published weekly, it provides an early indication of changes in the cost of living and helps policymakers monitor short-term inflation trends.
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