Rising flour prices fuel weekly inflation

Dawn reported that Pakistan’s year-on-year short-term inflation measure reached 11.85 per cent in the week through October 22, up from 11.38 per cent a week earlier, according to official figures. The Sensitive Price Index also advanced 0.65 per cent from the preceding week, with wheat flour identified as a major contributor.

Among the 51 essentials tracked, 19 became more expensive, 12 cheaper and 20 were unchanged. LPG recorded the steepest weekly increase, at 22.44 per cent, while tomatoes dropped 21.99 per cent; wheat flour rose 1 per cent. Dawn noted that rising petroleum costs have helped sustain inflation, although petrol and diesel prices fell during this week by 3.63 per cent and 1.68 per cent respectively.