Sugar and flour rise despite falling vegetable prices. weekly SPI ends 0.24%
KARACHI:
Pakistan’s weekly inflation, as measured by the sensitive price index (SPI), registered an increase of 3.75% year-on-year (y-o-y) for the week ended December 18, 2025, according to the latest report released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
The SPI, which tracks price movements of 51 commodities in 50 markets in 17 cities, provides a snapshot of short-term inflationary pressures affecting households nationwide.
On a week-over-week (WoW) basis, the SPI rose 0.24%, reflecting mixed trends in commodities. Significant upward pressure came from food, with chicken prices up 11.11%, chili powder climbing 3.08% and eggs up 2.88%.
Other notable increases were seen in shirts (1.64%), firewood (0.86%), cooking oil (0.32%) and energy saving (0.31%). These price increases were partially offset by sharp declines in several key commodities: tomatoes fell 11.38%, potatoes down 8.39%, sugar down 4.52%, onions down 3.52% and high-speed diesel down 5%.
Of the 51 species monitored, prices in 17 species increased, 14 decreased and 20 remained unchanged.
The year-on-year comparison reveals persistent inflationary pressures in some key components. Gas charges for the first quarter increased by 29.85%, followed by sugar (24.10%), wheat flour (22.52%), chicken (20.78%), beef (13.66%), guro (13.43%) and firewood (12.08%).
In contrast, significant relief was seen in vegetable prices, with tomatoes falling by 66.49%, potatoes by 45.31%, garlic by 39.10%, onions by 29.77%, and the gram of pulses by 28.95%. Lipton tea prices fell significantly by 17.79%.
The impact on inflation varied across income groups. The highest weekly increase of 0.28% was recorded in the top spending quintile (household spending above Rs 44,175 per month), while the lowest quintile rose only 0.07%.
Year-on-year, the middle-income group (Q3) experienced the steepest inflation at 3.79%, compared to 2.39% for the poorest quintile.
The combined SPI index stood at 336.53, up from 335.73 last week. The data shows that while weekly inflation remains subdued, increased annual energy bills and the prices of staple foods continue to weigh on household budgets, particularly for middle and lower-middle income families.
Seasonal reductions in perishable items such as vegetables and recent adjustments in fuel prices have provided some respite, helping to keep headline short-term inflation subdued as the year-end approaches.
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