Short-lived respite from inflation reversed in December

The rate of consumer inflation shot back up to 24.5pc in Dec — after a temporary decline to 23.8pc in Nov — affecting the country’s rural population the most, as prices escalated by almost 29pc. The average six-month (July-December 2022) inflation increased to 25.02pc when compared to the same period in the previous year. It was more pronounced at about 28pc for rural areas – home to more than two-thirds of the population – compared to their urban counterparts who faced 21.6pc inflation in Dec, and average of 23.1pc over six months. The monthly data for Dec 2022, reported by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), showed that all the groups that form the national consumer price index (CPI) showed an upward trend, except for perishable food items. But the most damaging impact was in the shape of 35.5pc food inflation in Dec 2022 and the increase in rate of prices of perishable items was even higher (56pc) in December 2022 when compared to December 2021.