Pakistan’s short-term inflation eased slightly in the week ending June 12, driven by a drop in food and fuel prices, data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) showed on Thursday.
The Sensitive Price Index (SPI), which tracks prices of essential goods on a weekly basis, fell 0.11 per cent from the previous week and declined 1.41 per cent compared with the same week last year, one of the first notable year-on-year dips in recent months.
The weekly decline was led by an 11.32 per cent drop in chicken prices, followed by garlic, which fell 5.69 per cent. Smaller decreases were recorded in the prices of pulses, cooking oil, wheat flour, vegetable ghee, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
Out of 51 items monitored, 15 saw price increases, nine declined, while 27 remained unchanged.
Despite the overall decline, several food items became more expensive. Tomatoes surged 19.73 per cent week-on-week, while potatoes rose 9.11 per cent, onions 3.23 per cent, and bananas 2.25 per cent. Eggs, powdered milk, sugar, and other staples also recorded modest gains.
On a year-on-year basis, prices of some essential commodities fell sharply. Onions were 61.86 per cent cheaper, electricity charges for the first quarter dropped 41.63 per cent, garlic fell 30.99 per cent, and tomatoes declined 22.87 per cent. Diesel, chicken, potatoes, and wheat flour also recorded notable declines.
However, prices of several consumer goods continued to climb over the year. Ladies’ sandals rose 55.62 per cent, eggs increased 31.41 per cent, and double-digit hikes were seen in powdered milk, sugar, bananas, beef, and both types of vegetable ghee.
Inflation trends varied across income groups. The SPI rose 0.15 per cent for the lowest income bracket during the week, while it fell 0.18 per cent for the highest income group. On an annual basis, the SPI declined by 1.59 per cent for the poorest group and 0.36 per cent for the wealthiest.
Across all five income categories, the year-on-year change ranged from a 2.78 per cent to 0.36 per cent decline.
Among construction materials, the average price of Sona urea fell 0.11 per cent from the previous week to Rs4,455 per 50 kg bag, down 6.02 per cent year-on-year. Average cement prices dropped slightly to Rs1,410 per bag, a 0.08 per cent weekly fall, but remained 11.95 per cent higher than the same week last year.
The SPI is compiled weekly by PBS and reflects price changes in 50 markets across 17 cities. It serves as a key gauge of inflation for low- and middle-income households.
