Inflation falls to 8.2pc in August

Consumer Price Index-based (CPI) inflation eased down to 8.2 percent in August compared with 9.3pc in July 2020 and 10.47pc during August, 2019, data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) showed.

On a monthly basis, inflation inched up by 0.6pc month-on-month during the month under review. The m-o-m increase was led by a 3pc increase in the transport index in view of the increase in domestic petroleum prices which were notified by the government in the first week of August.

Moreover, the housing index increased 1.8pc from the previous month on account of higher electricity prices, up 11.6pc mainly on account of the fuel charge adjustments. Potential increase, however, was offset by a 0.9pc monthly decline in the food index.

“CPI inflation (general) increased by 8.2pc on a year-on-year basis in August 2020 as compared to an increase of 9.3pc in the previous month and 10.5pc in August 2019. On a month-on-month basis, it increased by 0.6pc in August 2020 as compared to an increase of 2.5pc in the previous month and an increase of 1.6pc in August 2019,” PBS release showed.

Prices of items that decreased during the month — resulting in easing of inflation — included Chicken, up 36.45pc, Tomatoes 31.83pc, Fresh fruits 23.15pc, Pulse moong 6.5pc, vegetables 2.78pc, Pulse mash 2.28pc, Fish 1.87pc, Gram whole 1.78pc, Eggs 1.33pc, Pulse gram 1.29pc, Besan 1.21pc, Pulse masoor 0.98pc, Vegetable ghee 0.86pc and cooking oil 0.59pc. 

Meanwhile, those items that reported price increase during the month included Sugar, down 13.53pc, Wheat 11.95pc, Onions 10.4pc, Bakery and confectionary 6.65pc, Potatoes 5.85pc, Wheat flour 5.44pc, Beans 5.01pc, Milk fresh 4.79pc, Spices 2.81pc, Readymade food 2.22pc and Rice 0.31pc.