CPI inflation fell to lowest level of last 12 years

Lahore: Consumer Price Index (CPI) based inflation rate during September fell to 1.32 percent from 1.72 percent recorded during the month of August.

On month-on-month basis the CPI inflation decreased by 0.1 percent in September as compared to the previous month, said the data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

According the data this was the lowest year-on-year inflation in more then 12 years as annual inflation rate for the period from July-September 2015-16 over July-September 2014-15 was recorded at
1.66 percent.

The Sensitive Price Index (SPI) inflation on year on year basis decreased by 1.3 percent in September as compared to decrease of 1.5 percent a month earlier while on month-on-month basis, the SPI decreased by 0.5 percent in the month under review as compared to a decrease of 0.2 percent in September 2014.

Similarly the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation on Year-on-Year basis decreased by 3.5 percent in September 2015 as compared to decrease of 2.9 percent a month earlier and an increase of 5.4 percent in September 2014 whereas on month on month basis it decreased by 0.4 percent in September 2015 as compared to decrease of 0.5 percent a month earlier and an increase of 0.2 percent in September 2014.

The food items that witnessed increase in the prices during the month over previous month included onions, pulse mash, tea, potatoes, fresh vegetables, betal leaves and nuts, gur, pulse gram, gram flour and gram whole.

The food items that witnessed decrease in the prices during the period under review over previous month included chicken, tomatoes, fresh fruits, eggs, cooking oil, rice, sugar and vegetable ghee.

Non-food items which increased during the period under review included woolen ready made garments, sewing needle and dry cell the items which witnessed decrease during the month included kerosene oil, motor fuel and transport services.