Qudsia Bano

Wheat flour and eggs emerged as the leading contributors to year-on-year inflation during the week ended January 22, 2026, with prices rising by 38.60% and 35.99% respectively, according to the latest Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

PBS data indicate that wheat flour recorded the steepest year-on-year increase among all items in the SPI basket. Prices of wheat flour were 38.60% higher than the same week last year, reflecting sustained upward pressure on one of the most widely consumed staple foods in the country. Eggs followed closely, with a year-on-year increase of 35.99%, making them the second-largest contributor to inflation in percentage terms.

Other food items also recorded notable year-on-year increases, though to a lesser extent than wheat flour and eggs. Beef prices rose by 12.75%, chili powder increased by 12.56%, tomatoes by 10.02%, bananas by 9.94%, powdered milk by 9.79%, and gur by 9.42%. These increases added to overall food inflation but were outweighed in impact by the sharp rise in wheat flour and egg prices due to their higher weight and frequent consumption.

The SPI data further show that some staple food items recorded year-on-year declines, partially offsetting inflationary pressures. Potato prices plummeted by 47.26%, garlic fell by 36.28%, onions decreased by 35.55%, pulse gram dropped by 29.79%, chicken declined by 16.79%, pulse mash fell by 12.57%, and pulse masoor declined by 9.75%. Despite these declines, the cumulative impact of rising prices in wheat flour and eggs remained dominant in the overall inflation calculation.

The year-on-year rise in wheat flour and eggs was reflected across all consumption quintiles. According to PBS, the lowest expenditure group (Q1) recorded a year-on-year SPI increase of 4.12%, while the second quintile (Q2) posted a higher increase of 5.15%. The third quintile (Q3) recorded an annual rise of 4.63%, the fourth quintile (Q4) stood at 4.14%, and the highest expenditure group (Q5) saw a relatively lower increase of 3.33%. The combined year-on-year increase across all quintiles remained at 4.18%.

PBS data also show that during the latest week, wheat flour prices increased by 2.27% on a week-on-week basis, while egg prices rose by 1.02%, indicating that short-term movements in these staples continued to add upward pressure even as overall weekly inflation declined.

According to the PBS, the year-on-year SPI comparison reflects cumulative price changes over the past year rather than short-term weekly movements. The sharp increases recorded in wheat flour and eggs therefore remain a key factor underpinning the annual inflation rate of 4.18% reported for the week ended January 22, 2026.

Credit: INP-WealthPk