Pakistan Bureau of Statistics data reveals essential commodity prices continue to rise, driven by sharp spikes in onions, fuel, and utility costs.
ISLAMABAD: The weekly Sensitive Price Index (SPI) inflation has increased by over 15 percent on a year-on-year (YoY) basis, according to the latest data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Friday.
The short-term inflation metric for the week ended 11 June 2026 was officially recorded at 15.06 percent when compared with the week ended 12 June 2025.
The PBS computes the SPI on a weekly basis to monitor price fluctuations of essential commodities at short intervals. This methodology allows policymakers to review the immediate cost-of-living situation across the country. The index tracks 51 essential consumer items collected from 50 markets spanning 17 major cities.
Minimal Month-on-Month Movement Recorded
On a week-on-week basis, the SPI for the period ended 11 June 2026 registered a marginal increase of 0.16 percent. During the reviewed week, the price trajectories of the 51 monitored commodities showed a highly balanced split:
• Prices Increased: 12 items (23.53%)
• Prices Decreased: 11 items (21.57%)
• Prices Remained Stable: 28 items (54.90%)
The primary upward pressure during the week was driven by a massive 35.39 percent surge in the cost of tomatoes, followed by an 11.03 percent jump in Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices. Minor weekly price hikes were also observed in potatoes (1.04%), cigarettes (0.46%), vegetable ghee (0.40%), cooking oil (0.27%), and fresh milk (0.21%).
Conversely, significant weekly relief was observed in poultry and dairy items. The price of eggs dropped by 9.62 percent, chicken prices fell by 5.73 percent, and onions decreased by 4.61 percent. Domestic petrol prices also eased marginally by 1.04 percent.
Onions, Energy, and Flour Drive Annual 15.06% Surge
The long-term year-on-year trend depicts a much harsher reality for domestic consumers, with the overall basket climbing by 15.06 percent. Kitchen staples and energy tariffs have recorded exponential increases over the past 12 months.
Key Commodity Price Drivers (YoY Changes)
| Commodity / Service | YoY Increase (%) | Commodity / Service | YoY Decrease (%) |
| Onions | +85.43% | Potatoes | -42.79% |
| LPG | +74.45% | Eggs | -34.17% |
| Wheat Flour | +59.62% | Pulse Gram | -22.56% |
| Electricity (Q1 Charges) | +59.40% | Sugar | -15.71% |
| Diesel | +49.63% | Salt Powder | -13.26% |
| Petrol | +49.03% | Pulse Masoor | -12.07% |
Beyond the core drivers, substantial annual increases were recorded in everyday food items. Tomatoes rose by 36.40 percent, mutton climbed by 15.73 percent, chilli powder surged by 15.20 percent, and beef recorded a 12.87 percent increase.
Providing some relief to low-income households, chicken prices dropped 7.35 percent annually, while pulse moong eased by 4.66 percent, helping to slightly cushion the financial strain of soaring utility bills.
