According to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics data the Sensitive Price Index (SPI)-based inflation for the week ending on October 10, 2024, registered a slight decrease of 0.08 per cent.
This marginal decline reflects a mixed trend in the prices of essential commodities.
Out of the 51 monitored items, the prices of 15 (29.42 per cent) items prices increased, 8 (15.68 per cent) items recorded a decrease, while the prices of 28 (54.90 per cent) items remained stable.
Items with Price Increases
The PBS report highlighted several key commodities that experienced price hikes during the week under review. These include:
- Onions (4.14 per cent)
- Wheat flour (20 kg bag) (1.85 per cent)
- Pulse gram (0.63 per cent)
- Mustard oil (0.35 per cent)
- Potatoes (0.30 per cent)
- LPG (0.25 per cent)
- Gur (0.23 per cent)
- Firewood (0.12 per cent)
- Garlic (0.11 per cent)
- Beef with bone (0.11 per cent)
- Cigarettes (Capstan) (0.06 per cent)
- Mutton (0.03 per cent)
Items with Price Decreases
On the other hand, a noticeable decline in prices was observed for items such as:
- Tomatoes (-19.79 per cent)
- Bananas (-2.91 per cent)
- Sugar (-1.47 per cent)
- Pulse Mash (-1.16 per cent)
- Chicken (-0.84 per cent)
- Pulse Moong (-0.40 per cent)
- Eggs (-0.27 per cent)
- Pulse Masoor (-0.20 per cent)
Year-on-Year Comparison
While the weekly figures show slight relief for consumers, the year-on-year trend painted a different picture. The SPI recorded an annual inflation increase of 12.74 per cent, signaling persistent inflationary pressures on a broader scale.
