ISLAMABAD: Sensitive Price Index-based inflation fell by 0.33 percent during the week ending May 21, 2026, largely due to notable declines in the prices of chicken (8.56%), electricity charges for Q1 (6.08%), and garlic (3.53%), according to weekly data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Friday.
The PBS reported further reductions in the prices of pulse moong (1.45%), petrol and diesel (1.21% each), Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) (0.87%), pulse gram (0.26%), bananas (0.18%), eggs (0.10%), and pulse mash (0.01%).
On a year-on-year (YoY) basis, the SPI recorded a 14.47 percent increase, driven by sharp rises in the prices of onions (68.33%), petrol (62.24%), diesel (60.90%), wheat flour (59.45%), LPG (50.73%), electricity charges for Q1 (43.30%), tomatoes (34.58%), mutton (15.86%), chilies powder (15.20%), garlic (13.39%), beef (12.92%), and bananas (10.55%).
READ MORE: Weekly SPI inflation up 0.47pc
According to the PBS, on a week-on-week (WoW) basis, major increases were observed in the prices of tomatoes (7.17%), onions (6.08%), wheat flour (1.84%), long cloth (0.97%), georgette (0.95%), potatoes (0.87%), cooked daal (0.72%), tea prepared (0.42%), cooking oil (5 litre) and curd (0.34% each), shirting (0.14%), and lawn printed (0.06%).
During the week, out of 51 items in the SPI basket, the prices of 26 items (50.98%) increased, 11 items (21.57%) recorded reductions, and 14 items (27.45%) remained unchanged.
On a YoY basis, major decreases were observed in the prices of potatoes (42.02%), eggs (24.47%), pulse gram (21.84%), chicken (21.79%), sugar (14.95%), salt powder (13.26%), pulse masoor (11.83%), and pulse moong (4.21%).
On an annual basis, breaking down SPI by income groups, households with a monthly income of up to Rs 17,732 saw an increase of 11.79 percent, with SPI rising from 300.18 to 335.56 points.
For the Rs17,733–22,888 income group, SPI increased by 14.32 percent, from 297.38 to 339.97 points. Households earning Rs22,889–29,517 recorded a 12.84 percent rise, with SPI moving from 321.74 to 363.04 points, while the Rs29,518–44,175 bracket saw an increase of 12.81 percent, from 312.63 to 352.67 points. The highest income group, Rs44,175 and above, experienced a 14.17 percent increase, with SPI climbing from 315.35 to 360.04 points.
On a weekly basis, breaking down SPI by income groups, households with a monthly income of up to Rs17,732 saw a slight 0.06 percent reduction, with SPI declining from 335.77 to 335.56 points.
For the Rs17,733-22,888 income group, SPI fell by 0.28 percent, from 340.97 to 339.97 points. Households earning Rs22,889–29,517 recorded a 0.15 percent decrease, with SPI dropping from 363.60 to 363.04 points, while the Rs29,518-44,175 bracket saw a 0.13 percent decline, from 353.13 to 352.67 points.
The highest income group, Rs44,175 and above, experienced a 0.36 percent reduction, taking SPI down from 361.33 to 360.04 points.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
