Daily Times

The annual inflation rate eased to 9.7 percent on a year-on-year (YoY) basis in June 2021 as compared to an increase of 10.9 percent in May and 8.6 percent in June 2020.

According to the data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Thursday, on a month-on-month basis, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) based inflation decreased by 0.2 percent in June 2021 as compared to an increase of 0.1 percent in the previous month and an increase of 0.8 percent in June 2020.

According to PBS, the CPI inflation urban increased by 9.7% on a year-on-year basis in June 2021 as compared to an increase of 10.8% in the previous month and 7.6% in June 2020. On a month-on-month basis, it decreased by 0.4% in June 2021 as compared to an increase of 0.2% in the previous month and an increase of 0.7% in June 2020.

Likewise, the CPI inflation rural increased by 9.7% on a year-on-year basis in June 2021 as compared to an increase of 10.9% in the previous month and 10.0% in June 2020. On a month-on-month basis, it decreased by 0.1% in June 2021 as compared to a decrease of 0.03% in the previous month and an increase of 1.0% in June 2020.

According to the PBS, Sensitive Price Index (SPI) inflation on a year-on-year basis increased by 17.6% in June 2021 as compared to an increase of 19.7% a month earlier and an increase of 11.5% in June 2020. On a month-on-month basis, it decreased by 0.4% in June 2021 as compared to an increase of 0.8% a month earlier and an increase of 1.4% in June 2020.

On the other hand, Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation on a year-on-year basis increased by 20.9% in June 2021 as compared to an increase of 19.4% a month earlier and an increase of 0.9% in June 2020. WPI inflation on a month-on-month basis increased by 0.9% in June 2021 as compared to an increase of 0.3% a month earlier and a decrease of 0.3% in corresponding month i.e. June 2020.

On a month-on-month basis, the prices of following food items increased; tomatoes (28.94%), onions (14.97%), eggs (4.37%), vegetables (3.11%), meat (2.85%), gur (1.85%), wheat (1.52%), vegetable ghee (1.36%), pulse Masoor (1.26%) and mustard oil (1.21%). However, the prices of following food items decreased; chicken (36.86%), fruits (20.07%), pulse Moong (6.10%), fish (1.91%), pulse gram (1.82%) and pulse Mash (1.24%).

On a month-on-month basis, the prices of following non-food items increased; liquefied hydrocarbons (26.26%), motor fuel (3.84%), personal effects (2.47%) and construction items (0.73%). However, the transport services decreased by 0.58% on a month-on-month basis.

On a year-on-year basis, the prices of following food items increased; eggs (32.88%), mustard oil (32.34%), vegetable ghee (23.75%), condiments and spices (23.27%), cooking oil (21.93%), sugar (21.54%), tomatoes (19.67%), wheat (18.99%), meat (16.66%) and milk (14.19%). The items whose prices decreased included pulse Moong (20.17%), potatoes (16.42%), fruits (12.75%), onions (5.07%) and pulse Masoor (2.43%).

On a year-on-year basis, the prices of following non-food items increased; motor fuel (40.48%), liquefied hydrocarbons (30.92%), electricity charges (21.13%), footwear (16.29%), cleaning and laundering (13.36%), clinic fee (13.15%), hosiery (12.6%) and woollen garments (12.08%).