Short term inflation in Pakistan eased slightly during the outgoing week, offering some relief to households struggling with rising living costs.
The latest data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) showed that weekly inflation, measured through the Sensitive Price Index (SPI), declined by 0.81 per cent for the week ending May 29.
The drop was mainly driven by lower electricity charges and a sharp fall in chicken prices. Electricity tariffs for the first quarter dropped by 10.10 per cent, while chicken prices fell by 8.51 per cent. Prices of a few other essential items, including LPG, sugar, powdered milk, vegetable ghee, wheat flour and garlic, also edged down slightly.
However, the relief was limited, as several kitchen staples became more expensive. Tomatoes saw a price jump of 4.54 per cent, followed by increases in potatoes, eggs and onions. Slight upticks were also recorded in the prices of bananas, mustard oil, gur, cigarettes and some pulses.
Overall, out of the 51 essential items tracked, prices of 14 went up, 10 fell, and 27 remained unchanged.
Compared to the same week last year, inflation rose by just 0.41 per cent. But the yearly picture showed a mixed trend, some items like ladies’ sandals, chicken and eggs saw significant price hikes, while others such as onions, electricity, potatoes and garlic became much cheaper.
The weekly decline was felt across all income groups. The lowest income group saw a 0.67 per cent drop in their weekly expenses, while the highest earners experienced a 0.74 per cent fall.
On a yearly basis, inflation for the poorest segment was down 0.22 per cent, but it rose by 1.50 per cent for those in the highest income bracket.
Prices of key construction items also shifted slightly, with Sona urea and cement recording marginal weekly decreases.
PBS compiles the SPI using price data from 17 cities, tracking 51 commonly used items to monitor short-term inflation trends.
