CPI-based inflation remains in single digit at 3.7 percent

The consumer Price Index (CPI) based general inflation increased by 3.7 percent on year-on-year (YoY) basis in April 2018 as compared to an increase of 3.2% in the previous month (March) and 4.8% in April 2017.

On month-on-month (MoM) basis, the CPI increased by 1.8% in April 2018 as compared to an increase of 0.3% in the March 2018 and increase of 1.4% in April 2017, according to the data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) issued by officials of the bureau here in a press conference Wednesday.

According to the data, the core inflation measured by non-food non-energy CPI (Core NFNE) increased by 7.0% on (YoY) basis in April 2018 as compared to an increase of 5.8% in the previous month and 5.5% in April 2017.

On MoM basis, it increased by 2.5% in April 2018 as compared to increase of 0.7% in previous month, and an increase of 1.3% in corresponding month of last year i.e. April 2017, the data revealed.

Core inflation, measured by 20% weighted trimmed mean CPI (Core Trimmed) increased by 5.0% on (YoY) basis in April 2018 as compared to 4.1% in the previous month and by 4.8% in April 2017.

On (MoM) basis, it increased by 1.6% in April 2018 as compared to an increase of 0.2% in the previous month and an increase of 0.8% in corresponding month of last year i.e. April 2017.

Meanwhile, the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) based inflation on YoY decreased by 0.5% in April 2018 as compared to a decrease of 1.8% a month earlier and an increase of 2.3% in April 2017.

On MoM basis, it increased by 0.4% in April 2018 as compared to a decrease of 0.6% a month earlier and a decrease of 0.9% in April 2017. Similarly, the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation on YoY basis increased by 4.0% in April 2018 as compared to an increase of 3.6% a month earlier and an increase of 6.0% in April 2017.

The WPI inflation on MoM basis increased by 1.3% in April 2018 as compared to an increase of 0.2% a month earlier and an increase of 0.9% in corresponding month of last year i.e. April 2017. Meanwhile, the food items that witnessed increase on year-on-year basis, included, betel leaves & nuts (281.64%), rice (11.18%), meat (9.84%), sweat meat (7.86%), dry fruits (6.51%), condiments (5.77%), beans (5.61%), milk products (5.56%), readymade food (5.50%), jam &pickles (5.39), tea (4.80%), fish (4.57%) beverages (4.54%), eggs (4.50%), mustard oil (4.33%), chicken (4.14%), milk fresh (3.78%) and bakery & confectionary (3.42%).

The food items that witnessed decrease in prices on YoY basis included tomatoes (47.53%), pulse mash (23.25%), potatoes (23.14%), cigarettes (20.15%), fresh vegetables (14.30%), pulse masoor (13.07), sugar (12.01%), besan (11.09%), pulse moong (10.76%) and pulse gram (10.02%).

The Non-food Items which witnessed increase in prices during the period included kerosene oil (30.66%), education (12.99%), newspapers (12.12%), construction wage rates (10.57%), motor fuel (10.56%), personal equipment’s (10.49%), tailoring (9.72%), cleaning & laundry (9.25%), postal services (9.24%), medical tests (9.15%), cosmetics (9.02%), stationary (8.32%), furniture (8.30%), motor vehicles (8.19%), household servant (8.14%) and readymade garments (8.0%).