ISLAMABAD : The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the week ended on May 2, for the lowest income group up to Rs 8,000, decreased by 0.19 per cent as compared to the previous week. The SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 185.40 points against 185.76 points registered in the previous week. According the provisional figures of PBS weekly SPI has been computed with base 2007 2008=100, covering 17 urban centers and 53 essential items for all income groups and combined.
The SPI for the combined group also decreased by 0.04 per cent as it went down from 191.58 points in the previous week to 190.91 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 4.15 percent. As compared to the last week, the SPI for the income groups from Rs 8001 12,000, 12,001 18,000, 18001 35,000 and above Rs 35,000 increased by 0.23 percent, 0.28 percent, 0.37 and 0.55 percent respectively.
During the week under review, average prices of 14 items registered decrease, while that of 12 items increase with the remaining 27 items’ prices unchanged.
The items which registered decrease in their prices during the week under review included tomatoes, egg hen (farm), petrol, diesel, onions, L.P.G. (11 kg cylinder), kerosene oil, gram pulses (washed), mustard oil, vegetable ghee (loose), moong pulse (washed), potatoes, red chillies and sugar.
The items which recorded increase in their average prices included garlic, masoor pulse (washed), gur, chicken live (farm), match box, bananas, mutton, mash pulse (washed), wheat, wheat flour bag, beef and lawn.
The items with no change in their average prices during the week under review included rice basmati broken, rice irri-6, bread plain, milk fresh, curd, milk powder, cooking oil (tin), vegetable ghee (tin), salt powder, tea, cooked beef plate, tea prepared , cooked dal, cigarettes, long cloth, shirting, georgette, sandal gents, chappal spang, sandal ladies, electric charges, gas charges, fire wood, energy savor, washing soap, telephone local and bath soap.