CPI-inflation Up By 9.41% In March

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) based inflation increased by 9.41 percent in March 2019 as compared to the same month of last year, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported Monday

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Apr, 2019 ) :The Consumer price Index (CPI) based inflation increased by 9.41 percent in March 2019 as compared to the same month of last year, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported Monday.

On month-on-month basis, the CPI increased by 1.42 percent in March 2019 over previous month, said PBS statement issued here.

In March, the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) increased by 1.7 percent, and Sensitive Price Index (SPI) increased by 1.57 percent respectively when compared to February 2019.

The average inflation rate during the period July-February also rose by 6.79 percent as compared to the same period of last year.

Pakistan Bureau of Statistics collects the retail prices and computes the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for a basket of 487 items collected from 40 cities and 76 markets.

For each item four (04) quotations are collected from each market on monthly basis. Wholesale Price Index (WPI), on monthly basis, is compiled from 21 markets and 21 cities for a basket of 463 items. Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) is compiled on weekly basis for 53 items from 53 markets of 17 cities.

On year-on-year basis, the items that witnessed increase in March 2018 against the same month of last year included betel nuts (47.

72%), train fare (1st Sleeper >500km) (21.11%), potatoes (15.58%), orange (15.37%), gram whole yellow (12.54%), train fare (1st Sleeper 101-500km) (5.41%), train Fare (A/C Sleeper >500km) (1.44%) and chicken Farm (1.20%).

The items that witnessed increase in prices included tomatoes (315.30%), train fare economy (1-100km) (201.47%), chillies green (151.70%), gas (85.31%), betnovate-N ointment (62.78%), peas (53.98%), bus fare outside City (47.67%), cucumber (44.97%), train fare (1st Sleeper 1-100km) (42.18%), Calpol syrup (40.80%), cardamom (35.31%), newspaper (33.33%), English books B.A/BSc (31.39%), MBA tuition fee (27.73%), chillies powder loose (27.65%), CNG (25.36%), cars (24.32%), pulse Moong (22.70%), gold (21.53%), sugar refined (18.20%), onion (15.85%), iron bar (14.54%), cement local (13.96%), beef with bone (13.88%), LPG Cylinder (13.48%), High Speed Diesel (13.13%) and mutton (12.34%).

Meanwhile, during the month of March, 2019 over March, 2018, the Year-on-Year increase in the Trimmed Core Inflation was observed at 7.9% whereas it was 4.1% during March, 2018 over March, 2017.

While, Non-Food & Non-Energy Core Inflation during the month of March, 2019 over March, 2018, has been observed as 8.5% whereas it was 5.8% during March, 2018 over March, 2017.