ISLAMABAD: Short-term inflation, measured by the Sensitive Price Index (SPI), rises 3.75 per cent year-on-year in the week ending December 18, driven by higher retail prices of edible oil, meat, and other essential commodities. The SPI has shown an upward trend for 20 consecutive weeks, mainly due to surges in perishable goods, chicken, pulses, LPG cylinders, and electricity prices.
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Week-on-week, inflation increased 0.24 per cent, with the most notable price hikes seen in chicken (11.11pc), chili powder (3.08pc), eggs (2.88pc), shirting fabric (1.64pc), firewood (0.86pc), and cooking oil (0.32pc). Other items with modest increases included moong pulses, mustard oil, and fee—each rising between 0.23–0.31pc.
Conversely, several items saw price declines during the same period. Tomatoes fell 11.38pc, potatoes 8.39pc, diesel 5pc, sugar 4.52pc, onions 3.52pc, pulse mash 1.29pc, garlic 1.26pc, salt powder 1.12pc, gur 1.05pc, and LPG 0.14pc.
On an annual basis, the sharpest increases were recorded in gas charges for Q1 (29.85pc), sugar (24.10pc), wheat flour (22.52pc), chicken (20.78pc), beef (13.66pc), and gur (13.43pc). Other significant rises included firewood, powdered milk, eggs, fabrics, and bananas. Meanwhile, the steepest annual price drops were in tomatoes (66.49pc), potatoes (45.31pc), garlic (39.10pc), onions (29.77pc), pulse gram (28.95pc), tea, pulse mash, electricity, salt, and LPG.
Read More: SPI Inflation Rises as Edible Oil and Wheat Flour Prices SurgeOfficials said the SPI trend reflects continued pressure on consumers, particularly from food and energy items, despite some weekly relief in selected commodities.