Short-term inflation sticky at 9.04%

Express Tribune reported that Pakistan's Sensitive Price Indicator held at 9.04% year-on-year during the seven days to August 27. On a weekly basis it climbed only 0.05%, as steep declines in tomato and chicken rates offset other increases. Energy costs, hit by the lasting disruption of oil and gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, remained the dominant force in the essentials basket.

The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics put the combined index at 361.07, up from 360.90 a week earlier and 331.14 in the same week of 2025. The annual rate eased from 9.66% the previous week, though the drop was modest. Fuel and cooking gas were the clearest pressure points: LPG rose 55.66% to Rs4,631.66 per 11.67kg cylinder, diesel 36.33% to Rs373.81 per litre, and petrol Super 29.84% to Rs345.14 per litre.

Food still added to the annual pressure, with onions 125.86% dearer, wheat flour up 45.28% and tomatoes 36.69%. Weekly relief came from perishables, as tomatoes fell 18.65% to Rs192 per kg and chicken dropped 4.41%. The bottom four quintiles recorded weekly declines of between 0.07% and 0.17%, while the top group rose 0.13%.