ISLAMABAD - The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) based weekly inflation for the week ended on November 2 for the combined income groups increased by 0.97 percent as compared to the previous week.

The SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 227.53 points against 225.34 points last week, according to the latest data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Friday. As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined group in the week under review witnessed increase of 2.95 percent. The weekly SPI has been computed with base 2007, 2008=100, covering 17 urban centres and 53 essential items for all income groups.

Meanwhile, the SPI for the lowest income group up to Rs8,000 increased by 0.93 percent as it went up from 216.47 points in the previous week to 218.48 points in the week under review. As compared to the last week, the SPI for the income groups from Rs8001 to 12,000, Rs12,001 to 18,000, Rs18,001 to 35,000 and above Rs35,000, also increased by 0.90 percent, 0.93 percent, 0.94 percent and 1.03 percent, respectively.

During the week under review, average prices of six items registered decrease, while 21 items increased with the remaining 26 items’ prices unchanged. The items, which registered decrease in their prices during the week under review included garlic, LPG cylinder, bananas, moong pulse, gur and mash pulse. The items, which registered increase in their prices included tomatoes, eggs, kerosene, diesel, petrol, bread, wheat flour, onions, cooked beef, mutton, sugar, potatoes, firewood, chicken, masoor pulse, vegetable ghee, rice (irri-6), red chili, gram pulse and vegetable ghee (loose).

The items with no change in their average prices during the week under review included rice (basmati broken), beef, milk (fresh), curd, milk (powdered), mustard oil, cooking oil (tin), salt, tea (packet), cooked daal, tea (prepared), cigarettes, long cloth, shirting, lawn, georgette, gents sandal, gents chappal, ladies sandal, electricity charges, electric bulb, washing soap, match box, telephone local call and bath soap.