Pakistan's headline inflation clocks in at 31.5pc in Feb

Consumer Price Index (CPI)-based inflation clocked in at 31.5% on a year-on-year basis in February 2023 compared to an increase of 27.6% in the previous month and 12.2% in February 2022, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

On a month-on-month basis, it increased to 4.3%, showed data released by the PBS.

“CPI inflation General increased to 31.5% on year-on-year basis in Feb 2023 as compared to an increase of 27.6% in the previous month and 12.2% in Feb 2022,” said the PBS.

At 31.5%, this is the highest YoY inflation since data is available – July 1965.

Rural and urban inflation

CPI inflation in urban areas increased to 28.8% on year-on-year basis in February 2023 as compared to an increase of 24.4% in the previous month and 11.5% in Feb 2022.

On a month-on-month basis, it increased to 4.5% in February 2023 as compared to an increase of 2.4% in the previous month and an increase of 0.9% in February 2022.

Meanwhile, CPI inflation in rural areas increased to 35.6% on year-on-year basis in February 2023 as compared to an increase of 32.3% in the previous month and 13.3% in February 2022.

On a month-on-month basis, it increased to 4.0% in February 2023 as compared to an increase of 3.6% in the previous month and an increase of 1.5% in February 2022.