Overview
- The Sensitive Price Index, which tracks 51 essentials in 17 cities, rose 0.97% week over week after Friday's PBS release showed renewed momentum, lifting the annual pace to 8.24%.
- Food led the weekly rise, with onions up 18.10%, tomatoes 11.38%, potatoes 8.11% and chicken 8.70%, while electricity charges climbed 6.11% and LPG rose 10.05%.
- On a yearly basis, energy and staples posted sharp gains, including LPG up 34.73%, diesel 29.94%, gas charges 29.85%, wheat flour 25.76% and petrol 25.75%.
- PBS reported the lowest-income group faced 7.02% annual inflation, with the second group highest at 8.76%, signaling greater strain on poorer families.
- Prices moved unevenly across the basket, with 23 items up, 6 down and 22 flat for the week, while on a yearly view potatoes, pulse gram, eggs, garlic and sugar were notably cheaper.