According to the latest data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) rose 0.49% during the week ending August 20. On a year-on-year basis, the SPI climbed 9.66%.
The weekly rise was driven mainly by higher prices of everyday essentials. Onions jumped 14.17%, petrol rose 3.77%, chicken increased 3.35% and garlic went up 2%. Smaller increases were also seen in pulse gram, prepared tea, fresh milk, and a few other items.
Not everything became costlier. Eggs fell 5.78%, diesel dropped 5.15%, tomatoes declined nearly 5%, and potatoes, LPG, bananas, and some pulses also became cheaper.
Looking at the bigger picture, some items have become dramatically more expensive over the past year. Onion prices soared 132.52 percent, tomatoes rose 93.21 percent, wheat flour jumped 62.25%, and cooking gas (LPG) increased more than 51%. Petrol and diesel also rose sharply. On the positive side, potatoes, sugar, chicken, eggs, and several pulses are cheaper than they were a year ago.
The weekly increase affected all income groups, with higher-income households feeling a slightly larger percentage rise. Overall, prices of 23 out of 51 items in the SPI basket went up, while 10 items became cheaper and the rest stayed the same.