Prices register nominal decline in last week

The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), for the week ended on January 01, for the lowest income group up to Rs.3,000, has registered decrease of 0.22 percent over the previous week.

The SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 213.23 as against 213.71 registered in the previous week, according to data released by Federal Bureau of Statistics(FBS) here on Friday.

The weekly SPI has been computed with base 2000-2001=100 covering 17 urban centers and 53 essential items for all income groups and combined.

SPI for the combined group registered decrease of 0.58 per cent by declining from 205.68 in the previous week to 204.49 in the week under review.

As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for combined group in the week under review witnessed increase of 21.08 percent.

As compared to last week, the SPI for the group falling in the income brackets of 3001-5000, 5001-12000 and above 12000 decreased by 0.33, 0.50 and 0.54 percent respectively.

During the week under review average prices of 13 items registered decrease, while that of 17 items increase with the remaining 23 items’ prices unchanged.

The items which recorded decrease in their average prices during the week under review included, onions, tomatoes, tea (packet), egg hen (farm), vegetable ghee (tin), cooking oil (tin), potatoes, wheat (average quality), red chillies, moong pulse(washed), rice basmati (broken), rice (irri-6) and wheat flour(average quality).

The items which registered increase in prices included, LPG( 11 kg cylender), sugar, chicken (farm), gur, gram pulse (washed), vegetable ghee (loose), bananas, kerosene, tea (prepared), electricity bulb (60wats), firewood, mash pulse (washed), masoor pulse (washed), mustard oil, garlic, mutton and beef.

The items with no change in their average prices during the week under review included, bread plain (mid size), milk (fresh), milk (powdered), curd, salt (powdered), cooked beef, cooked dal plate, cigarettes, coarse latha, lawn, voil printed, shirting, sandal (gents), sandal (ladies), chappal spng., match box, washing soap, bath soap, gas charges (up to 3.3719 MMBTU), electricity charges, petrol, diesel and telephone local call.