Weekly Inflation Rises 0.57% As Flour, Chicken Prices Climb
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✧ GENERATE BRIEFING
Short-term price pressures in Pakistan accelerated during the week ended October 8, 2026, as weekly inflation measured by the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) climbed 0.57% week-on-week. Data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) shows that the benchmark SPI reached 372.58 points (up from 370.46 points), lifting the year-on-year inflation rate to 11.97%. The uptick was primarily driven by sharp price increases in staple food commodities and domestic fuel rates, putting renewed pressure on low- and middle-income household budgets. Key drivers and price dynamics for the week include:Staple Price Drivers: Wheat flour recorded the sharpest single-week surge at 5.69% (with a 20kg bag averaging Rs2,851.04 nationally), followed by live farm chicken (+4.93%), gram pulse (+3.99%), and petrol (+2.40%). Petrol and wheat flour combined contributed roughly 0.38 points of the total 0.57-point weekly increase.
Pakistan’s weekly inflation increased by 0.57% in the week ended October 8, driven mainly by higher prices of wheat flour, chicken, gram pulse, petrol and tomatoes, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) rose to 372.58 points, compared with 370.46 points in the preceding week. On a year-on-year basis, weekly inflation reached 11.97%, reflecting continued pressure on household budgets.
Wheat flour recorded the largest increase among the major items, with prices rising 5.69% during the week. Chicken prices climbed 4.93%, while gram pulse became 3.99% more expensive. Petrol and tomatoes both registered increases of 2.40%.
Key Drivers and Commodity Trends
Other items that became more expensive included masoor pulse, up 1.29%; prepared tea, 1.08%; cooked daal, 0.98%; mash pulse, 0.91%; and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), 0.57%. These increases added to the pressure on consumers purchasing essential food and household items.
Some commodities recorded declines during the review period. Banana prices fell 2.81%, diesel decreased 1.37%, potatoes dropped 0.89%, sugar declined 0.37%, gur fell 0.19%, and moong pulse edged down 0.03%.
Scope and Purchasing Power Outlook
The PBS weekly SPI tracks the prices of 51 essential commodities across 17 urban centres in Pakistan. It is used to monitor short-term price movements and provides an indication of changes in the cost of everyday necessities.
The latest increase indicates that inflationary pressure remains elevated, particularly for food and fuel-related items. Further movements in essential commodity prices and petroleum costs will remain important factors affecting household purchasing power in the coming weeks.
