Pakistan weekly inflation down 0.02% in second week of Sept

Pakistan’s weekly inflation rate eased marginally by 0.02%, with the annual inflation rate now at 5.03%, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported on Friday.

According to PBS’s weekly inflation data or Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), prices of 22 essential items increased over the past week. Onion prices rose by PKR 9.75 per kilogram, tomatoes by PKR 21.47, and potatoes by PKR 2.97, contributing to higher food costs.

Pakistan inflation in August stood at 3%, according to PBS data. This figure indicates a significant slowdown from the 4.1% inflation rate observed in July. However, economists caution that recent severe monsoon floods could lead to increased food prices, potentially impacting future inflation.

The price of a domestic LPG cylinder increased by PKR 93.14 in the same period, adding to household expenses. Other notable price increases include basmati rice by PKR 2.53 per kilogram, eggs by PKR 4.64 per dozen, sugar by PKR 2.65 per kilogram, moong lentils by PKR 5.12 per kilogram, mash lentils by PKR 5.70, and chickpeas by PKR 2.10 per kilogram.

Garlic prices increased by PKR 2.44 per kilogram, while mutton became more expensive by PKR 2.05 per kilogram during the week.

However, the prices of four items decreased, and the prices of 25 items remained stable. The cost of a 20-kilogram bag of wheat flour dropped to PKR 224.97. Broiler chicken prices fell by PKR 15.13 per kilogram, and bananas became cheaper by PKR 4.60 per kilogram.