ISLAMABAD, Apr 1 (APP):The Consumer Price Index (CPI) based inflation was recorded at 7.3 percent on a year-on-year (YoY) basis in March 2026, up from 7 percent recorded in February 2026, and 0.7 percent registered in March 2025, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported.
Headline inflation recorded at 7.3% in March
ISLAMABAD, Apr 1 (APP):The Consumer Price Index (CPI) based inflation was recorded at 7.3 percent on a year-on-year (YoY) basis in March 2026, up from 7 percent recorded in February 2026, and 0.7 percent registered in March 2025, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported.
According to details, CPI inflation urban, increased by 7.4% on year-on-year basis in March 2026 as compared to an increase of 6.8% in the previous month and an increase of 1.2% in March 2025. On month-on-month basis, it increased by 1.3% in March 2026 as compared to an increase of 0.3% in the previous month and an increase of 0.8% in March 2025.
CPI inflation rural, increased by 7.2% on year-on-year basis in March 2026 as compared to an increase of 7.3% in the previous month and no change observed in March 2025. On month-on-month basis, it increased by 1.0% in March 2026 as compared to an increase of 0.3% in the previous month and an increase of 1.1% in March 2025.
The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) inflation on YoY basis increased by 5.6% in March 2026 as compared to an increase of 4.8% in the previous month and a decrease of 2.3% in March 2025. On MoM basis, it increased by 0.7% in March 2026 as compared to a decrease of 0.1% in the previous month and March 2025.
The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation on YoY basis increased by 6.7% in March 2026 as compared to an increase of
1.0% in the previous month and a decrease of 1.6% in March 2025. On month-on-month basis, it increased by 5.9% in March 2026 as compared to an increase of 0.7% in the previous month and an increase of 0.3% in March 2025.
Meanwhile, the core inflation, measured by non-food non-energy for urban increased by 7.4% on (YoY) basis in March 2026 as compared to an increase of 7.1% of the previous month and 8.2% in March 2025. On (MoM) basis, it increased by 0.7% in March 2026 as compared to 0.2% in previous month and an increase of 0.5% in the corresponding month of last year i.e. March 2025. 8.
The core inflation, measured by non-food non-energy for rural increased by 8.4% on (YoY) basis in March 2026 as compared to 8.3% of the previous month and an increase of 10.2% in March 2025. On (MoM) basis, it increased by 0.8% in March 2026 as compared to 0.4% in the previous month and an increase of 0.7% in the corresponding month of last year i.e. March 2025.
