ISLAMABAD  - The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the week ended on April 6, for the lowest income group up to Rs 8,000, has registered increase of 0.95 per cent over the previous week.
The SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 174.76 points against 173.11 points of the previous week, according to provisional figures of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (FBS).
The weekly SPI has been computed with base 2007-2008=100, covering 17 urban centres and 53 essential items for all income groups and combined.
The SPI for the combined group went up from 181.76 points in the previous week to 183.66 points in the week under review. As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined group in the week under review witnessed increase of 9.87 percent.
As compared to the last week, the SPI for the income groups from Rs.8001-12,000, 12,001 to 18,000, 18001 to 35,000 and above Rs.35,000 increased by 0.95, 0.99, 1.01 and 1.11 per cent respectively. During the week under review, average prices of 10 items registered decrease, while that of 28 items increased with the remaining 15 items’ prices unchanged.
The items which recorded decrease in their average prices included egg hen (farm), LPG (11 kg cylinder), onions, chicken live (farm), garlic, mash pulse (washed), energy savor (14 wats), wheat, masoor pulse (washed) and gur.
The items which registered increase in their prices included potatoes, tomatoes, petrol, kerosene oil, diesel, lawn, bananas, cooked beef (plate), long cloth, vegetable ghee (loose), shirting, washing soap, mil powdered, cooked dal (plate), sugar, mustard oil, rice basmati (broken), gram pulse (washed), milk fresh, curd, wheat flour, rice IRRI-6, beef, cooking oil (tin), vegetable ghee (tin), red chillies powder (loose), moong pulse (washed) and mutton.
The items with no change in their average prices during the week under review included bread (plain), salt (powdered), tea (prepared), tea, cigarettes, georgette, sandal (gents), chappal, sandal (ladies), electric charges, gas charges (up to 100m3), match box, firewood, telephone local call and bath soap.