KARACHI
Pakistan’s Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) remained elevated at 11.32% year-on-year for the week ended October 29, 2026, underscoring sticky short-term inflation even as the index slipped 0.35% week-on-week. The year-on-year reading reflects sustained cost pressures on energy and selected food items, with global supply concerns linked to the US-Israel conflict with Iran and ongoing Houthi confrontation with Saudi Arabia continuing to influence fuel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices. Year-on-year, LPG prices climbed 106.86%, electricity charges for the lowest quintile jumped 52.38%, diesel rose 45.13% and petrol increased 43.61%. Wheat flour was up 34.87% and chicken 31.72%. Declines were recorded in potatoes (down 38.67%), tomatoes (27.99%), eggs (26.70%) and sugar (25.21%).
Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) data showed the combined SPI stood at 373.51, down from 374.84 in the previous week but well above 335.53 recorded a year earlier. On a weekly basis, electricity charges for Q1 fell 3.92%, chicken prices declined 2.95%, eggs dropped 2.81%, wheat flour eased 0.83% and LPG retreated 0.73%. Petrol, sugar and powdered milk also posted modest declines.
In contrast, tomatoes surged 34.91%, potatoes rose 3.27%, diesel increased 2.53% and gram pulse advanced 2.11%. Bread, onions, fresh milk and curd registered smaller gains.
Of the 51 essential items tracked across 50 markets in 17 cities, prices of 15 items (29.41%) rose, 12 items (23.53%) fell and 24 items (47.06%) remained unchanged.
The highest-income quintile (Q5) faced the steepest annual increase of 12.13%, while the lowest-income group (Q1) recorded a rise of 8.07%. Week-on-week, Q5 saw the largest decline of 0.41%. The persistence of double-digit SPI growth, particularly in energy, points to limited near-term relief for households despite the modest weekly dip.
