Owing to the Israel-US war on Iran, the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) increased by 14.52% on a year-on-year basis, reflecting a sharp inflationary hike across essential commodities, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Friday.
On a weekly basis, inflation rose by 0.62% for the combined consumption group during the week ended April 30, 2026, indicating continued upward momentum in prices. The SPI climbed to 354.23 points compared to 352.04 points recorded in the previous week.
The SPI tracks price movements of 51 essential items across 17 urban centres and captures consumption patterns across different income groups.
Among these groups, the lowest income segment (earning up to Rs17,732 per month) recorded a relatively modest increase of 0.17%, with the index reaching 332.16 points. In contrast, higher income brackets experienced stronger increases, with SPI rising by 0.26% for the Rs17,733-22,888 group, 0.37% for Rs22,889-29,517, 0.51% for Rs29,518-44,175, and 0.83% for those earning above Rs44,175.
A breakdown of weekly price movements showed a mixed trend. Out of the 51 monitored items, prices of 14 items (27.45%) increased, 13 items (25.49%) declined, while 24 items (47.06%) remained unchanged.
The rise in weekly inflation was largely driven by sharp increases in energy prices. Diesel surged by 7.53%, while petrol increased by 7.18%, exerting a cascading effect on transportation and overall costs.
Food items also contributed to the upward trend, with wheat flour rising 4.74%, potatoes 1.39%, and bread 0.75%. Prices of washing soap, pulse moong, mutton, beef, bananas, fresh milk, and cigarettes also increased.
On the other hand, several essential commodities provided some relief. Tomato prices fell significantly by 17.17%, while chicken declined by 6%. Other items that recorded decreases included garlic, electricity charges for the first quarter, LPG, Irri-6/9 rice, eggs, and different varieties of pulses.
On an annual basis, the SPI data highlights the extent of inflationary pressures, driven primarily by energy and utility costs. Petrol prices increased by 54.44% compared to the same period of last year, while electricity charges rose by 52.58%. LPG and diesel also recorded sharp increases of 47.95% and 47.05%, respectively.
Food inflation remained a key concern, with wheat flour prices up 44.57% and onions rising 39.55% year-on-year. Additionally, prices of mutton, beef, powdered milk, chilli powder, and garlic also registered notable increases.
However, some items witnessed significant declines over the year, including potatoes, which dropped 46.68%, pulse gram 20.12%, sugar 12.01%, and pulse masoor 11.42%. Chicken and tea also recorded slight decreases.
Overall, the SPI trend indicates that despite intermittent relief in selected food items, inflation remains entrenched, largely due to elevated energy costs and structural price pressures in the economy.
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