The latest data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) indicates that the annual short-term inflation for the week ending on April 18, 2024, stood at 28.54 percent. This figure represents a significant increase compared to the same period last year.

Several key items have experienced notable increases in prices compared to the previous year, including Gas Charges for Q1 (570 percent), Onions (155 percent), Tomatoes (127 percent), Chilies Powder (83.6 percent), Garlic (65.96 percent), Salt Powder (31.87 percent), Chicken (30.91 percent), and Pulse Mash (26.39 percent). However, some items have seen a decrease in prices, such as Bananas (35 percent), Cooking Oil (in various quantities), Mustard Oil, Wheat Flour, LPG, Eggs, and Diesel.

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The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the current week decreased by 0.79 percent compared to the previous week. This decrease is attributed to declines in the prices of Wheat Flour, Bananas, Electricity Charges, Eggs, LPG, Onions, Chilies Powder, Cooking Oil, Pulse Masoor, and Vegetable Ghee. Conversely, notable increases were observed in the prices of Potatoes, Tomatoes, Chicken, Garlic, Diesel, Beef, Pulse Mash, Cooked Beef, and Sugar.

Overall, during the week, prices of 22 items increased, prices of 11 items decreased, and prices of 18 items remained stable out of a total of 51 items monitored.