Pakistan’s Weekly Inflation Rises 1.40%: PBS

Pakistan’s weekly inflation, measured through the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), increased by 1.40% during the week ending July 16, 2026, primarily due to sharp increases in the prices of tomatoes, chicken, LPG, and petroleum products, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

On a year-on-year basis, the SPI registered an increase of 13.09% compared with the corresponding week of 2025. The index tracks the prices of 51 essential commodities collected from 50 markets across 17 cities nationwide.

Among weekly price movements, tomatoes recorded the steepest increase, rising 22.79% to an average of Rs250.47 per kilogram, compared with Rs203.98 in the previous week. Chicken prices also increased significantly by 14.66%, reaching Rs383.11 per kilogram from Rs334.14.

The price of an 11.67-kilogram LPG cylinder climbed 12.46%, increasing from Rs3,961.05 to Rs4,454.62. Meanwhile, High-Speed Diesel (HSD) became 4.41% more expensive at Rs325.06 per litre, while petrol prices rose 4.40% to Rs312.53 per litre.

Other commodities registering weekly increases included garlic (3.72%), eggs (2.15%), Lipton tea (1.56%), onions (1.53%), potatoes (0.85%), prepared tea (0.42%), and firewood (0.18%).

In contrast, prices of four commodities declined during the week. Bananas became 0.80% cheaper, pulse moong fell 0.70%, sugar declined 0.36%, and pulse masoor eased by 0.10%.

Overall, out of the 51 essential commodities monitored by the PBS, prices of 27 items increased, four declined, while 20 remained unchanged over the week.

On an annual basis, tomato prices recorded the largest increase, soaring 210.18% compared with the same week last year. Onions were 75.93% more expensive, while wheat flour prices increased 71.81% year-on-year.

Utility costs also continued to rise, with electricity charges for the lowest consumption slab increasing 49.14%, LPG prices climbing 42.50%, and gas tariffs rising 29.85% over the past year. Other notable annual increases included men’s sponge chappals (16.69%), mutton (16.02%), chilli powder (15.20%), and beef (13.60%).

The average price of a 20-kilogram wheat flour bag reached Rs2,578.86, compared with Rs1,500.99 a year earlier. Similarly, onion prices averaged Rs101.62 per kilogram, up from Rs57.76, while mutton increased to Rs2,373.74 per kilogram, compared with Rs2,046.01 in the corresponding period last year.

Despite the overall inflationary trend, several essential food items remained cheaper than a year earlier. Potato prices declined 36.28%, pulse gram fell 21.71%, sugar dropped 21.10%, chicken decreased 16.71%, salt powder declined 14.09%, pulse masoor fell 13.19%, eggs decreased 12.42%, and pulse moong declined 8.08%.

Weekly inflation affected income groups differently. Households in the highest expenditure category (monthly spending above Rs44,175) experienced the largest weekly increase of 1.58%.

The lowest expenditure group (monthly spending up to Rs17,732) recorded a weekly increase of 1.11%, while inflation increased 1.18% for the second quintile, 1.17% for the third, and 1.28% for the fourth income group.

On an annual basis, the second expenditure group recorded the highest inflation rate of 15.57%, followed by the lowest expenditure group at 13.63%, and the third quintile at 13.21%. Annual inflation stood at 12.30% for the fourth expenditure group and 11.32% for the highest-income households.

Overall, the combined SPI index increased to 357.61 during the week, compared with 352.66 in the previous week and 316.23 in the corresponding week of last year.