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Tag: Pakistan Bureau of Statistics

  • Headline inflation increases by 8.9 percent in June

    Headline inflation increases by 8.9 percent in June

    ISLAMABAD: The headline inflation based on Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 8.9 percent on year-on-year basis in June, 2019 as compared to an increase of 9.1 percent in the previous month and 5.2 percent in June 2018, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) said on Tuesday.

    On month-on-month basis, it increased by 0.4 percent in June 2019 as compared to an increase of 0.8 percent in the previous month and an increase of 0.6 percent in corresponding month i.e. June 2018.

    Core inflation measured by non-food non-energy CPI (Core NFNE) increased by 7.2 percent on (YoY) basis in June 2019 as compared to an increase of 7.2 percent in the previous month and 7.1 percent in June 2018.

    On (MoM) basis, it in-creased by 0.3 percent in June 2019 as compared to an increase of 0.4 percent in previous month, and an increase of 0.3 percent in corresponding month of last year i.e. June 2018.

    Core inflation, measured by 20 percent weighted trimmed mean CPI (Core Trimmed) increased by 7.3 percent on (YoY) ba-sis in June 2019 as compared to 7.5 percent in the previous month and by 5.4 percent in June 2018.

    On (MoM) basis, it in-creased by 0.4 percent in June 2019 as compared to an increase of 0.4 percent in the previous month and an increase of 0.2 percent in corresponding month of last year i.e. June 2018.

    Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) based inflation on YoY basis increased by 10.6 percent in June 2019 as compared to an increase of 10.8 percent a month earlier and an increase of 1.9 percent in June 2018.

    On MoM basis, it increased by 1.6 percent as compared to an increase of 1.2 percent in the previous month and an increase of 1.8 percent in corresponding month of last year i.e. June 2018.

    Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation on YoY basis increased by 12.7 percent in June 2019 as compared to an increase of 14.0 percent a month earlier and an increase of 7.6 percent in June 2018.

    WPI inflation on MoM basis increased by 0.3 percent in June 2019 as compared to an increase of 1.4 percent a month earlier and an increase of 1.5 percent in corresponding month of last year i.e. June 2018.

  • Trade deficit narrows by 13.62 percent in eleven months

    Trade deficit narrows by 13.62 percent in eleven months

    ISLAMABAD: The trade deficit has narrowed by 13.62 percent in first eleven months owing to measures taken by the government to increase the cost of imported luxury and non-essential goods.

    According to trade data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Tuesday, the trade deficit reduced to $29.2 billion during July – May 2018/2019 as compared with the deficit of $33.81 billion in the corresponding period of the last fiscal year.

    Primary reason for shrinking trade deficit is reduction in import bill. The total imports fell by 8.47 percent to $50.47 billion during first eleven months of current fiscal year as compared with $55.14 billion in the same period of the last fiscal year.

    The government during the last couple of years has taken measures to discourage import of luxury and non-essential goods by imposing regulatory duty.

    However, exports were remained flat at $21.26 billion during July – May 2018/2019 as compared with $21.33 billion in the corresponding period of the last fiscal year.

    It is pertinent to mention here that the government had also extended many facilitations to jack up the exports but despite enjoying relaxations on many heads the Pakistani exporters failed to capture world market.

  • Pakistan imports cell phones worth Rs84.2 billion in ten months

    Pakistan imports cell phones worth Rs84.2 billion in ten months

    KARACHI: Pakistan has imported mobile phones worth Rs84.2 billion during July – April 2018/2019 despite serious economic difficulties in the country.

    According to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) the country imported mobile phones Rs84.2 billion during first ten months of current fiscal year as compared with Rs73.77 billion in the corresponding months of the last fiscal year, depicting increase of 14.14 percent.

    The rise import of cell phones increased despite the restrictions imposed by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) that only registered cell phones would be activated in the country.

    Further the duty and taxes have been increased on the import of cell phones during past two mini budgets.

    Experts said that the rise in import value of cell phone was also due to depreciation in local currency against dollar.

    The import of cell phones in dollar term has decline by 7 percent to $632 million during July – April 2018/2019 as compared with $678.57 million in the corresponding period of the last fiscal year.

  • Pakistan’s trade deficit narrows by 13pc in 10 months

    Pakistan’s trade deficit narrows by 13pc in 10 months

    KARACHI: Pakistan’s trade deficit has narrowed by 13 percent during first 10 months (July – April) 2018/2019 owing to significant fall in import bill, according to trade data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Wednesday.

    The trade deficit narrowed to $26.3 billion during July – April of current fiscal year as compared with the deficit of $30.17 billion in the same period of the last fiscal year.

    The major reason behind shrinking trade deficit was reduction in import bill. The import bill was declined to $45.47 billion during first 10 months of current fiscal year when compared with $49.36 billion in the corresponding period of the last fiscal year.

    The exports of the country, however, remained stagnant. The exports were at $19.17 billion during July – April 2018/2019 as compared with $19.19 billion in the same period of the last fiscal year.

    The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) in its third quarterly report said that most of the deficit reduction during Jul-Mar FY19 was recorded in Q3, when imports dropped quite sharply in response to a deepening decline in purchases of foreign power generation machinery, aircraft and railway locomotives; technical and administrative hiccups in LNG imports (and power generation); and a temporary softening in global oil prices.

    Further support came from regulatory and macro stabilization measures taken earlier, which impacted industrial performance and reduced demand for imported raw materials (such as iron and steel), and also curtailed consumers’ demand for cars (thereby lowering imports of CBUs).

    In percentage terms, the 18.1 percent decline in the overall imports in Q3-FY19 was the largest drop in a quarter in almost 10 years. It was more than sufficient to offset a 3.3 percent contraction in exports in the quarter, and led the trade deficit to drop by a sizable 27.6 percent

  • Headline inflation increases by 8.8 percent in April 2019

    Headline inflation increases by 8.8 percent in April 2019

    ISLAMABAD: The headline inflation has surged by 8.8 percent on year on year (YoY) in April 2019 as compared to an increase of 9.4 percent in previous month and 3.7 percent in April 2018, said Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Thursday.

    The Consumer Price Index (CPI) based inflation on month-on-month basis, it increased by 1.3 percent in April 2019 as compared to an increase of 1.4 percent in the previous month and an increase of 1.8 percent in corresponding month i.e. April 2018.

    Core inflation measured by non-food non-energy CPI (Core NFNE) increased by 7.0 percent on (YoY) basis in April 2019 as compared to an increase of 8.5 percent in the previous month and 7.0 percent in April 2018. On (MoM) basis, it increased by 1.0 percent in April 2019 as compared to an increase of 0.5 percent in previous month, and an increase of 2.5 percent in corresponding month of last year i.e. April 2018.

    Core inflation, measured by 20 percent weighted trimmed mean CPI (Core Trimmed) increased by 7.2 percent on (YoY) basis in April 2019 as compared to 7.9 percent in the previous month and by 5.0 percent in April 2018. On (MoM) basis, it increased by 0.9 percent in April 2019 as compared to an increase of 0.4 percent in the previous month and an increase of 1.6 percent in corresponding month of last year i.e. April 2018.

    The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) inflation on YoY basis increased by 9.3 percent in April 2019 as compared to an increase of 8.8 percent a month earlier and a decrease of 0.5 percent in April 2018.

    On MoM basis, it increased by 0.9 percent as compared to an increase of 1.6 percent in the previous month and an increase of 0.4 percent in corresponding month of last year i.e. April 2018.

    Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation on YoY basis increased by 13.8 percent in April 2019 as compared to an increase of 12.6 percent a month earlier and an increase of 4.0 percent in April 2018.

    WPI inflation on MoM basis increased by 2.3 percent in April 2019 as compared to an increase of 1.7 percent a month earlier and an increase of 1.3 percent in corresponding month of last year i.e. April 2018.

  • Inflation increases by 17.15pc for higher income group

    Inflation increases by 17.15pc for higher income group

    KARACHI: The prices of essential items has increased by 17.15 percent for higher income group above Rs35,000, according to weekly Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) issued by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

    The PBS said that the inflation of the income group above Rs35,000 was increased by 17.15 percent by week ended April 25, 2019 as compared with same week a year ago.

    The PBS computes the weekly SPI with base 2007-08=100 covering 17 urban centres and 53 essential items for all income groups/quintiles and combined.

    The PBS calculates SPI for income groups included Rs8,000; between Rs8,001 – Rs12,000; Rs12,001-Rs18,000; Rs18,001-Rs35,000; and above Rs35,000. The average inflation for all income group increased by 12.91 percent by week ended April 25, 2018 as compared with corresponding week last year. However, the average inflation increased by 0.37 percent over the previous week ended Aril 18, 2019.

    During the week under review as compared with previous week, around 20 items registered increase in their prices. Some of these items are included: tomatoes, onions, potatoes, egg hen, bananas, pulse moong, sugar, pulse mash, garlic, pulse gram, tea prepared, mutton etc.

    However, 10 items registered decline in their prices during the week, which included: chicken farm, LPG cylinder 11-kg, wheat, wheat flour, firewood, red chillie, cooking oil, vegetable ghee etc.

    Average prices of 22 items remained unchanged during the week under review.

    According to PBS the SPI was increasing for the last four consecutive weeks. The SPI is major component for headline inflation i.e. Consumer Price Index (CPI). The movement of SPI sets the monthly CPI.

  • Car import plunges by 80 percent on payment in foreign exchange condition

    Car import plunges by 80 percent on payment in foreign exchange condition

    KARACHI: The import of completely built unit (CBU) cars has sharply declined by 80 percent in March 2019 owing to mandatory requirement of paying duty and taxes through foreign exchange.

    According to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) the import of motor cars fell 80 percent to $6.14 million in March 2019 when compared with $30.5 million in the same month of last year.

    It is worth mentioning here that the ministry of commerce issued SRO 52(I)/2019 dated January 15, 2019 which stated that all vehicles in new/used condition to be imported under transfer of residence, personal baggage or under gift scheme, the duty and taxes shall be paid out of foreign exchange arranged by Pakistani nationals themselves or local recipient supported by bank enchashment certificate showing conversion of foreign remittances to local currency.

    The payment through foreign exchange should be:

    a. The remittance for payment of duties and taxes shall originate from the account of Pakistani national sending the vehicle from abroad; and

    b. The remittance shall either be received in the account of the Pakistani national sending the vehicle from abroad or, in case, his account is non-existent or inoperative, in the account of his family.

    The import data of motor vehicles issued by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) revealed that motor cars worth $209 million were brought into the country during July – March 2018/2019 as compared with $359.56 million in the same period of the last fiscal year.

    The car import also fell due restrictions on non-filers for registering the imported vehicles.

  • Essential items’ prices inflate for three consecutive weeks in April

    Essential items’ prices inflate for three consecutive weeks in April

    The prices of essential commodities have risen for the third consecutive week this month, signaling high headline inflation for April 2019. According to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) has consistently increased in the weeks ending April 4, 11, and 18, reflecting a challenging trend for consumers.

    (more…)
  • Sensitive price inflation grows by 12.02 percent

    Sensitive price inflation grows by 12.02 percent

    KARACHI: The prices of essential items have registered 12.02 percent growth by week ended April 11, 2019 as compared with corresponding week last year, according to data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Monday.

    The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) based inflation has shown the increase with the average inflation for all income groups.

    The weekly data revealed that the inflation grew by 16.31 percent for income group above Rs35,000. While the SPI based inflation grew by 12.89 percent for the income group range between Rs18,001 – Rs35,000.

    Meanwhile, the inflation increased by 8.9 percent, 9.07 percent and 8.97 percent for income group up to Rs8,000, Rs8,001-Rs12.000 and Rs12,001 – Rs18,000, respectively.

    The PBS calculates the weekly SPI with base 2007-08=100 covering 17 urban centres and 53 essential items for all income groups/quintiles and combined has been computed.

  • Trade deficit contracts by 13.02 percent to $23.67 billion in nine months

    Trade deficit contracts by 13.02 percent to $23.67 billion in nine months

    ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s trade deficit has contracted by 13.02 percent during first nine months (July – March) 2018/2019 due to significant decline in import bill in the same period, according to trade data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Wednesday.

    The trade deficit shrank to $23.67 billion during first nine months of current fiscal year as compared with the deficit of $27.21 billion in the corresponding period of the last fiscal year.

    The import bill during the first nine months was declined by 8 percent to $40.75 billion as compared with $44.28 billion in the same period of the last fiscal year.

    Experts said that the imposition of regulatory duty on luxury and non-essential items during the last budget and followed in the supplementary budget helped in curtailing import growth.

    However, growth in exports was remained flat. The exports were at $17.08 billion during the period under review as compared with $17.06 billion in the same period of the last fiscal year.

    The import bill sharply declined by 21 percent in the month of March 2019 to $4.15 billion as compared with $5.25 billion in the same month of the last fiscal year.

    On the other hand the exports also fell by 11.13 percent in the month under review. The exports exhibited decline of 11.13 percent decline to $1.98 billion in March 2019 as compared with $2.28 billion in the same month of last year.

    The reduction in import bill in March 2019 resulted in narrowed trade deficit for the month. The trade deficit was contracted by 28.07 percent to $2.17 billion in March 2019 as compared with $3.02 billion in March 2018.