By Ayesha Saba

Wholesale prices of several major non- food commodities declined in July 2026, led by furnace oil, motor spirit, diesel, electricity and cement, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics’ Monthly Review on Price Indices, available with Wealth Pakistan. The category of other transportable goods, which carries a weight of 22.40% in the Wholesale Price Index, declined by 5.71% compared with June.

The group’s index fell to 412.30 in July from 437.28 in June. Its decline reduced the monthly movement in the overall WPI by 1.63 percentage points. Furnace oil recorded the steepest monthly decrease of 15.79%, followed by motor spirit at 10.07%. Oil cakes became 5.23% cheaper, while diesel prices declined by 3.40%. Despite the monthly decline, the other transportable goods category remained 20.44% higher than in July 2025.

It contributed 4.99 percentage points to the annual increase in the overall wholesale index. The ores, minerals, electricity, gas and water group also registered a decline during the month. Its index fell by 0.91% to 357.79 in July from 361.09 in June. The group was 0.39% lower compared with July 2025. Electrical energy prices declined by 2.52% month-on-month, while liquefied natural gas became 0.30% cheaper.

Wholesale cement prices fell by 2.19% during July, providing further relief to construction-related costs. In contrast, the metal products, machinery and equipment group recorded a moderate monthly increase of 0.62%. The group’s index rose to 414.13 in July from 411.58 in June and remained 6.19% higher than a year earlier. The declines in petroleum products, electricity, minerals and cement helped limit non-food wholesale price pressures at the beginning of the 2026-27 fiscal year.

Credit: INP-WealthPk