SPI Inflation Rises Driven by Essential Item Costs

The Sensitive Price Index (SPI) indicated a 0.62 percent increase in inflation for the week concluding on August 28, 2025. This surge was primarily fueled by escalating costs of vital commodities such as tomatoes, wheat flour, and chicken, thereby reversing a short-lived decline observed mid-month.

After a marginal decrease during the third week of August, the SPI’s upward trend resumed in the month’s final week. Several commodities experienced significant price elevations, including tomatoes (14.98 percent), wheat flour (12.11 percent), chicken (3.36 percent), potatoes (1.52 percent), mustard oil (1.37 percent), eggs (1.03 percent), LPG (0.82 percent), cooked beef (0.81 percent), garlic (0.78 percent), lawn printed fabric (0.23 percent), firewood (0.17 percent), and long cloth (0.11 percent).

Conversely, the price of pulse mash experienced a 0.43 percent reduction, while pulse masoor and pulse gram both saw declines of 0.28 percent. Additional price drops were noted in bananas (0.12 percent), vegetable ghee (2.5 kg) by 0.10 percent, and onions by a slight 0.01 percent.

During the week, among the 51 items monitored, 18 (35.29 percent) experienced price increases, 6 (11.76 percent) saw decreases, and 27 (52.95 percent) remained stable.

Year-on-Year SPI Increase

On a year-on-year basis, the SPI demonstrated a 3.57 percent increase. Substantial price surges were observed in ladies’ sandals (55.62 percent), gas charges for Q1 (29.85 percent), sugar (26.91 percent), beef (12.99 percent), gur (12.18 percent), bananas (11.78 percent), pulse moong (11.74 percent), firewood (11.47 percent), vegetable ghee (2.5 kg) (11.36 percent), vegetable ghee (1 kg) (10.89 percent), cooked beef (8.93 percent), and lawn printed fabric (7.64 percent).

Significant price reductions were evident in onions (49.31 percent), garlic (25.98 percent), pulse mash (23.39 percent), potatoes (19.96 percent), pulse gram (18.54 percent), electricity charges for Q1 (18.12 percent), Lipton tea (17.93 percent), pulse masoor (7.05 percent), rice IRRI-6/9 (5.47 percent), and LPG (3.70 percent).

SPI by Income Group

Analyzing the SPI by income groups, the consumption group with a monthly income of up to Rs17,732 saw an increase of 0.84 percent, reaching 321.28 points from 318.59 points the previous week.

For the income range of Rs17,732 to Rs22,888, the SPI advanced by 0.83 percent to 320.58 points, up from 317.95 points.

The income group earning between Rs22,889 and Rs29,517 experienced a 0.73 percent increase, with the SPI at 343.84 points compared to 341.36 points the week before.

For those in the Rs29,518 to Rs44,175 income bracket, the SPI increased by 0.69 percent to 331.69 points from 329.41 points.

The monthly income group exceeding Rs44,175 recorded a 0.51 percent increase, with the SPI at 330.28 points, up from 328.61 points.

Overall, the combined SPI for all expenditure groups was registered at 331.14 points, reflecting a 0.62 percent increase from the 329.11 points recorded in the prior week.