Islamabad, February 7, 2025 – The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) inflation witnessed a moderate decline of 0.21% for the week ending February 6, 2025, offering slight relief to consumers amid broader economic challenges.
According to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the decline in weekly inflation was driven primarily by reductions in food and essential commodity prices.
Weekly Inflation Trends
The decrease in SPI inflation was mainly attributed to falling prices of key food items. The most significant reductions were recorded in:
• Tomatoes (-11.42%)
• Potatoes (-5.99%)
• Onions (-4.38%)
• Chicken (-3.95%)
• Pulse Gram (-1.72%)
• LPG (-1.08%)
• Pulse Mash (-0.82%)
• Rice IRRI-6/9 (-0.54%)
• Mustard Oil (-0.47%)
On the other hand, inflationary pressures were observed in various items, leading to price increases in:
• Bananas (+3.25%)
• Diesel (+2.67%)
• Sugar (+1.78%)
• Garlic (+0.44%)
• Powdered Salt (+0.39%)
• Petrol (+0.38%)
• Cigarettes (+0.25%)
• Long Cloth (+0.24%)
• Powdered Milk (+0.07%)
• Cooking Oil (5 Litre) (+0.04%)
• Rice Basmati Broken (+0.03%)
Among the 51 essential commodities monitored, prices of 16 items (31.37%) fell, 13 items (25.49%) rose, and 22 items (43.14%) remained stable.
Annual Inflation Trends and Consumer Impact
Despite the weekly decline in inflation, the year-on-year SPI inflation recorded a 1.02% increase, reflecting persistent inflationary pressures on essential consumer goods. Some of the most notable annual price hikes include:
• Ladies’ Sandals (+75.09%)
• Pulse Moong (+31.08%)
• Pulse Gram (+30.36%)
• Powdered Milk (+25.80%)
• Potatoes (+23.42%)
• Beef (+22.35%)
• Vegetable Ghee (1 Kg & 2.5 Kg) (+17.15% & +14.84%)
Conversely, some commodities saw a significant decline in prices, contributing to easing inflationary pressures in select categories:
• Onions (-54.79%)
• Tomatoes (-42.99%)
• Wheat Flour (-36.76%)
• Chili Powder (-20.00%)
• Electricity Charges (-18.92%)
• Eggs (-12.09%)
• Pulse Mash (-11.61%)
• Rice Basmati Broken (-8.41%)
Economic Outlook and Future Inflation Trends
Although the weekly dip in inflation is a welcome development, experts caution that Pakistan’s broader inflationary trends remain uncertain. Fuel prices, supply chain disruptions, and global commodity markets continue to exert influence on domestic inflation rates. Policymakers are closely monitoring these fluctuations to ensure price stability in the coming months.