Overview

• PBS reported a 0.17% week-on-week and 4.34% year-on-year rise in the Sensitive Price Indicator for the week ended October 9.
• Prices increased for 21 of the 51 tracked essentials, six declined and 24 were unchanged across 17 urban centres.
• Chicken (+8.92%), onions (+7.47%), wheat flour (+5.74%) and eggs (+2.25%) led the weekly gains, while tomatoes fell 11.34%.
• Weekly increases were recorded across all income groups at roughly 0.14% to 0.20%, with the fourth quintile posting the highest uptick.
• Year-on-year comparisons show sharp rises in tomatoes (+109.82%), ladies’ sandals (+55.62%), sugar (+36.08%) and gas charges (+29.85%), even as onions and several staples are cheaper than a year ago.