CPI-based monthly inflation down by 0.29pc in September

The country's Consumer Price Index (CPI) based inflation rate for the month of September 2013 decreased by 0.29 percent over the previous month (August 2013).

On year-on-year basis, the inflation during September 2013 increased by 7.39 percent as compared to the same month of last year, said Arif Mehmood Cheema, Director General, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), while addressing a press briefing here on Monday.

The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) and Sensitive Prices Index (SPI) in September 2013 increased by 0.71 percent and 0.07 percent when compared to August 2013.

On month-on-month basis, the food items that witnessed increase in the prices during September 2013 over August 2013 included eggs (13.2 percent), fresh vegetables (4.79 percent), potatoes (4.53 percent), bakery and confectionery (2.98 percent), wheat (2.93 percent), wheat flour (2.* percent), readymade food (2.48 percent), wheat products (2.37 percent), milk powder (2.03 percent), and gur (1.69 percent).

The food items that witnessed decrease in the prices during September 2013 over August 2013 included chicken (24.5 percent), tomatoes (23.6 percent), onions (15.63 percent), fresh fruits (15.48 percent), pulse gram (3.2 percent), gram whole (2.29 percent), pulse moong (1.22 percent), gram flour (1.19 percent), beverages (0.8 percent), spices (0.72 percent), sugar (0.33 percent) and vegetable ghee (0.12 percent).

The non-food items that witnessed increase during the month included water supply (3.02 percent), motor fuel (2.93 percent), kerosene oil (2.92 percent), doctor clinic fee (2.52 percent), personal equipments (2.42 percent), firewood whole (1.9 percent) and transport services (1.71 percent).

On year on year basis the food items that witnessed increase in their prices during September, 2013 over same month of last year included tomatoes (29.36 percent), onions (26.13 percent), tea (25.97 percent), wheat (24.31 percent), wheat flour (23.56 percent), gur (23.16 percent), wheat products (17.68 percent), potatoes (14.95 percent), cigarettes (14.58 percent), cereals (12.79 percent), chicken (12.56 percent), beans (12.42 percent) and rice (12.3 percent).

The food items that witnessed decrease during the period under review included pulse gram (31.06 percent), gram flour (26.91 percent), gram whole (22.62 percent), spices (19.19 percent), fresh fruits (7.08 percent), vegetable ghee (5.03 percent), pulse mash (3.44 percent), cooking oil (2.22 percent) and mustard oil (1.71 percent).

The non food items which increased in September 2013 as compared to September 2012 included postal services (25.93 percent), footwear (18.56 percent), woolen readymade garments (18.05 percent), text books (15.92 percent), cotton cloth (15.72 percent), tailoring (15.46 percent), dopatta (14.28 percent), cosmetics (14.16 percent) and cleaning and laundry (13.76 percent).

During the month of September 2013 over September 2012, the trimmed core inflation has been observed as 7.6 percent while it was 10.4 percent during September 2012 over September 2011.

On the other hand, the non-food and non-energy core inflation has been observed as 8.7 percent, while it was 10.4 percent during September 2012 over September 2011.