Short-term inflation rises to 5pc nationwide

Islamabad: The country’s overall annual short-term inflation rate has climbed to 5.03%, with the weekly inflation increase recorded at 0.22%.

According to the Sensitive Price Index (SPI), inflation has been rising for 12 consecutive weeks, primarily driven by higher prices of perishable food items such as tomatoes, onions, potatoes, and wheat flour.

The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) released its weekly inflation report, stating that during the week ending 23 October 2025, prices of 20 essential commodities increased, six declined, while 25 remained unchanged.

As per the report, onion prices rose by 5.62%, energy savers by 2.51%, eggs by 2.38%, and sugar by 2.04% over the week.

The report noted that tomato prices increased by an average of Rs0.92 per kilogram, bringing the national average price to Rs329.45 per kg, up from Rs328.53 per kg the previous week. The maximum retail price of tomatoes across the country has reached Rs400 per kg.

Prices of cooking oil, garlic, and beef also witnessed an uptick during the week.

Meanwhile, chicken and rice prices fell by 2.51% and 1.19%, respectively, while pulses, wheat flour, and LPG also recorded slight declines.