For the week ending March 6, 2025, Pakistan’s Sensitive Price Index (SPI) recorded a year-on-year decline of 0.87%, marking the first negative growth in nearly seven years. This decrease is attributed to a higher base effect from the previous year and stable prices across most products, excluding wheat flour.
- Price Decreases: Notable week-on-week declines were observed in the prices of onions (5.59%), branded tea (4.47%), garlic (3.89%), tomatoes (3.60%), and various pulses.
- Price Increases: Conversely, prices rose for bananas (9.79%), sugar (3.15%), liquefied petroleum gas (2.64%), and eggs (2.52%).
The overall slowdown in short-term inflation is largely due to the higher base effect from the previous year and stable prices across most products, excluding wheat flour. However, despite a decline in global markets, domestic retail prices for sugar and edible oil have increased.