Headline inflation contracts to 8.63 percent in first half

Headline inflation contracts to 8.63 percent in first half

ISLAMABAD: The average headline inflation based on Consumer Price Index (CPI) contracted to 8.63 percent during the first half (July – December) of the current fiscal year, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) said on Friday.

The average inflation during the same half of the last fiscal year was 11.11 percent, it added. Whereas the average inflation was 5.96 percent during the same half of the fiscal year 2018/2019.

The PBS said that CPI inflation general, increased by8.0 percent on year-on-year basis in December 2020 as compared to an increase of 8.3 percent in the previous month and 12.6 percent in December2019.

On month-on-month basis, it decreased by 0.7 percent in December 2020 as compared to an increase of 0.8 percent in the previous month and a decrease of 0.3 percent in December 2019

CPI inflation Urban, increased by 7.0 percent on year-on-year basis in December 2020 as compared to an increase of 7.0 percent in the previous month and 12.0 percent in December 2019.

On month-on-month basis, it decreased by 0.3 percent in December 2020 as compared to an increase of 0.6 percent in the previous month and a decrease of 0.4 percent in December2019.

CPI inflation Rural, increased by 9.5 percent on year-on-year basis in December 2020 as compared to an increase of 10.5 percent in the previous month and 13.6 percent in December 2019.

On month-on-month basis, it decreased by 1.2 percent in December 2020 as compared to an increase of 1.1 percent in the previous month and a decrease of 0.3 percent in December 2019.

Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) inflation on YoY increased by 9.1 percent in December 2020 as compared to an increase of 9.9 percent a month earlier and an increase of 18.1 percent in December 2019.

On MoM basis, it decreased by 2.7 percent in December 2020 as compared to an increase of 1.1 percent a month earlier and a decrease of 2.0 percent in December 2019.

Wholesale Price Indicator (WPI) inflation on YoY basis increased by 5.7 percent in December 2020 as compared to an increase of 5.0 percent a month earlier and an increase of 12.4 percent in December 2019.

WPI inflation on MoM basis increased by 0.3 percent in December 2020 as compared to a decrease of 0.9 percent a month earlier and a decrease of 0.3 percent in corresponding month i.e. December 2019.