ISLAMABAD : The Federal Bureau of Statistics has reported a continued decline in weekly inflation, marking the second consecutive week of easing price pressures. The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) fell by 0.67 percent last week, bringing the inflation rate down to 2.41 percent.
The latest data reveals a mixed movement in the prices of essential commodities. Prices of 13 items decreased, while 12 items became more expensive. Notable declines were recorded in key food items, providing some relief to household budgets.
Leading the downward trend, onion prices dropped sharply by 11.84 percent, followed by potatoes, which became cheaper by 10.21 percent. The price of eggs decreased by 6.25 percent, sugar by 2.88 percent, and gram pulse by 2.32 percent. Other items that saw price reductions include lentils, jaggery, mash pulse, diesel, petrol, and LPG.
Conversely, several items witnessed price increases. Live broiler chicken became more expensive by 2.37 percent, and wheat flour prices rose by 2 percent. Tomatoes, bananas, garlic, rice, cooking ghee, and firewood were also among the commodities that became costlier during the week.
The back-to-back weekly decline in the SPI offers a glimmer of respite for consumers amid persistent cost-of-living challenges. However, the simultaneous increase in the prices of staples like chicken, flour, and tomatoes indicates that inflationary pressures remain selective and ongoing in specific segments of the market. Analysts suggest that continued monitoring of supply chains and essential commodity reserves is necessary to sustain the easing trend.
