ISLAMABAD: The weekly inflation for the week ended on May 17 for the combined income group witnessed increase of 0.93 percent as compared to the previous week. The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 226.56 points against 224.47 points registered in the previous week, according to data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). Similarly, as compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined group in the week under review increased by 2.70 percent. The weekly SPI has been computed with base 2007-08=100, covering 17 urban centers and 53 essential items for all income groups and combined. Meanwhile, the SPI for the lowest income group up to Rs 8000 was also increased by 0.83 percent as it went up from 210.74 points in the previous week to 212.48 points in the week under review. As compared to the last week, the SPI for the income groups from Rs 8001-12,000, Rs 12,001-18,000, 18,001-35,000 and above Rs35000 also increased by 0.88 percent, 0.93 percent, 0.95 percent and 0.95 percent respectively. During the week under review average prices of 04 items registered decrease, while that of 21 items increased with the remaining 28 items’ prices unchanged. The items which registered decrease in their prices during the week under review included garlic, wheat flour, mash pulse and moong pulse. The items which recorded increase in their average prices included bananas, tomatoes, patotoes, onions, chicken, mtch box, tea (packet), salt, rice (irri-6), wheat, beef, mutton, eggs, milk (fresh), LPG Cylinder, vegetable ghee, (tin) vegetable ghee (loose), red chilly, gur, sugar and masoor pulse. The items with no change in their average prices during the week under review included rice (basmati), bread (plain), curd, milk (powdered), mustard oil, cooking oil, gram pulse, cooked beef, cooked daal, tea (prepared), cigarettes, long cloth, shirting, lawn, georgette, gents sandal, gents chappal, ladies sandal, electricity charges, gas charges, kerosene oil, firewood, electric bulb, washing soap, petrol, diesel, telephone local call and bath soap. Published in Daily Times, May 19th 2018.