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Pakistan’s weekly inflation eased 0.54% for the week ended February 26, driven by sharp declines in vegetable and poultry prices, official data showed.
Aftab Maken
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics said on Friday the Sensitive Price Indicator declined 0.54% week-on-week for the period ended February 26, 2026, reflecting lower prices of key food items.
The Sensitive Price Indicator, or SPI, tracks short-term price movements of 51 essential commodities. Prices are collected from 50 markets across 17 cities to gauge weekly inflation trends.
The bureau said tomatoes recorded the steepest weekly fall, dropping 29.67%. Prices of potatoes fell 10.62%, while chicken declined 9.03%. Onions were down 7.44% and eggs slipped 3.43% during the week.
Wheat flour prices decreased 1.39%, while bread prices fell 1.12%. Sugar also edged down 0.79%, providing relief to consumers amid persistent cost pressures.
However, several items posted increases. Banana prices rose 4.49%, marking the highest weekly gain. Shirting became 1.36% more expensive, while liquefied petroleum gas, or LPG, increased 0.86%.
Garlic prices rose 0.81%, while long cloth gained 0.70%. Mutton prices were up 0.63% and pulse masoor increased 0.47%. Lawn printed fabric, pulse mash, powdered milk, curd and beef also recorded modest gains.
Out of 51 tracked commodities, prices of 13 items, or 25.49%, increased during the week. Prices of 14 items, or 27.45%, decreased, while 24 items, or 47.06%, remained unchanged.
On a year-on-year basis, the SPI recorded an increase of 4.23%, indicating moderate inflationary pressure compared with the same week last year.
Gas charges for the first quarter surged 29.85% from a year earlier, representing the largest annual increase. Wheat flour prices were up 29.51%, while electricity charges for the first quarter rose 17.33%.
Tomato prices increased 16.83% year-on-year, while chili powder rose 15.20%. LPG prices were higher by 13.60%, and bananas climbed 11.73% over the year.
Beef prices increased 11.69%, firewood rose 11.40%, and powdered milk gained 10.16%. Mutton prices were up 8.98%, while gur climbed 8.36% compared with last year.
In contrast, potato prices plunged 52.55% from a year earlier, marking the sharpest annual decline. Chicken prices fell 29.55%, while garlic dropped 26.18% and onions declined 25.71%.
Pulse gram prices were down 23.74%, eggs fell 16.22%, salt powder decreased 12.52% and pulse masoor declined 11.93% year-on-year.
The latest weekly reading signals short-term easing in food inflation, although energy tariffs and staple food costs continue to exert upward pressure on household budgets. Analysts say the SPI trend will remain sensitive to supply conditions and administered price adjustments in the coming weeks.
