ISLAMABAD – In a positive development for consumers, Pakistan’s weekly inflation showed a slight drop as food prices—especially eggs and chicken—fell significantly. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the Sensitive Price Index (SPI) declined by 0.18% during the outgoing week, while also showing a 1.52% drop compared to the same period last year.
This easing of inflation was driven mainly by reductions in the prices of essential food items. Eggs became cheaper by 12.27% and chicken by 10.75%. Other staples, such as bananas, onions, potatoes, wheat flour, and various pulses, also saw noticeable declines. Out of 51 essential items surveyed, 14 items saw a decrease in prices, 12 recorded increases, and 25 remained stable.
However, not all prices moved downward. Electricity charges for the first quarter jumped by 6.88%, while prices of garlic, LPG, gur, tomatoes, sugar, and fresh milk also rose slightly. Despite the weekly relief in some categories, these increases added pressure to overall household budgets.
On a year-on-year basis, the SPI posted a 1.52% drop, offering some breathing room compared to last year’s high inflation levels. Major declines were noted in onions, tomatoes, electricity charges, garlic, potatoes, diesel, and several pulses. But items like sugar, powdered milk, vegetable ghee, beef, firewood, and even clothing accessories like ladies’ sandals registered steep annual price hikes—some exceeding 55%.
Inflation varied across income groups. The lowest income group saw a slight weekly reduction of 0.06%, while the highest income group benefited more, with a 0.25% drop. Over the past year, the lowest income segment experienced a 2.36% price drop, while the highest group only saw a 0.20% decline. Yearly SPI changes across all groups ranged between 0.20% and 3.31%.
Meanwhile, prices of key construction and farming materials showed mixed trends. The average price of a 50kg bag of Sona urea was Rs4,443—down 0.17% from last week and 6.27% from last year. Cement, however, saw a weekly dip of 0.20%, yet its yearly price rose by 10.72%. These trends signal a gradual, though uneven, cooling of inflationary pressure as the government aims to stabilize the economy.