LAHORE: Pakistan’s short-term inflation decreased by 0.16 percent for the week ending August 15, 2024, as reported by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Friday. Despite this, the annual inflation rate surged by 16.86 percent.
The PBS uses the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) to monitor short-term inflation weekly, tracking price changes in essential goods and providing insight into current price trends.
The SPI measures 51 key items from 50 markets in 17 cities across Pakistan. For the reported week, 19 items (37.25 percent) saw price increases, 13 items (25.50 percent) experienced price decreases, and 19 items (37.25 percent) remained stable.
Significant price drops were noted for onions (down 4.91 percent), petrol (down 3.15 percent), diesel (down 2.44 percent), wheat flour (down 1.83 percent), and moong pulse (down 1.81 percent).
Product prices across Pakistan:
| Product | Increase | Product | Decrease |
| Tomatoes | 34.77 per cent | Onions | 4.91 per cent |
| Eggs | 4.78 per cent | Petrol | 3.15 per cent |
| Garlic | 1.99 per cent | Diesel | 2.44 per cent |
| Beef | 0.88 per cent | Wheat Flour | 1.83 per cent |
| Cooked Beef | 0.41 per cent | Pulse Moong | 1.81 per cent |
In contrast, notable price hikes included tomatoes (up 34.77 percent), eggs (up 4.78 percent), garlic (up 1.99 percent), beef (up 0.88 percent), and cooked beef (up 0.41 percent).
Moreover, the SPI varied across income groups during the week, with two groups seeing increases and three experiencing decreases, ranging from a 0.25 percent decrease to a 0.07 percent increase. The lowest income group had a 0.07 percent rise, while the highest income group faced a 0.25 percent decline.
