By Irfan Ahmed ISLAMABAD, June 07 (INP-WealthPK): Inflation measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased to 13.8% in May 2022 from 13.4% in the previous month and 10.9% in May 2021, data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) showed, reports WealthPK. Inflation has been on the higher side in recent months owing to a record spike in global oil prices, and in rates of transportation and non-perishable food products. According to the PBS statistics, the prices of fruits, cooking oil, milk, pulses, energy, clothing and footwear, motor vehicle accessories, building material, chemicals and hosiery goods increased during the month under review. Urban areas inflation Meanwhile, urban CPI-based inflation increased to 12.4% in May 2022 from 12.2% in the previous month and 10.8% in May 2021. On monthly basis, inflation increased by 0.3% in May 2022 compared to 1.6% in the previous month and 0.2% in May 2021. Food commodities that contributed to urban CPI included onions (36.17%), chicken (16.98%), eggs (13.07%), wheat flour (10.51%), gram whole (6.68%), pulse masoor (5.96%), meat (3.98%), rice (3.40%), pulse mash (2.43%), wheat (2.06%), and mustard oil (1.93%). Non-food items included stationery (8%), plastic products (4.75%), motor vehicles (3.30%), motor fuel (3.19%), furniture and furnishing (2.46%), washing soap/detergents/matchbox (2.19%), household equipment (2.05%), motor vehicle accessories (2.01%) and tailoring (1.35%). On the other hand, prices of tomatoes registered a decrease of 37.73%. Rural areas inflation Rural CPI-based inflation increased to 15.9% in May 2022 from 15.1% in April 2022 and 10.9% in May 2021. Food items that contributed to rural CPI in May 2022 included onions (28.60%), chicken (17.73%), eggs (10.48%), gram whole (8.33%), potatoes (6.95%), wheat flour (5.28%), mustard oil (5.16%), pulse masoor (4.56%), meat (3.13%), pulse mash (2.48%), rice (2.33%), milk (2.05%), and cooking oil (1.67%). Non-food items included motor vehicle accessories (3.64%), motor fuels (3.15%), stationery (2.75%), major tools and equipment (2.44%), furniture and furnishing (2.40%), household equipment (2.28%) and tailoring (2.15%). In contrast, prices of tomatoes decreased by 50.78%, vegetables 20.05%, fruits 1.68%, sugar 1.63%, condiments and spices 0.47%, and electricity 15.46%. Sensitive Price Index (SPI) inflation The SPI inflation increased year-on-year by 14.1% in May 2022 compared to 14.2% a month earlier and 19.7% in May 2021. On a month-on-month basis, it increased by 0.6% in May 2022 compared to 1.5% a month earlier and 0.8% in May 2021. [caption id="attachment_68050" align="aligncenter" width="696"] SOURCE: Pakistan bureau of statistics[/caption] Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation The WPI inflation increased by 29.6% year-on-year in May 2022 compared to 28.1% a month earlier and 19.4% in May 2021. The rate increased by 1.4% month-on-month in May 2022 compared to 3.2% a month earlier and 0.3% in May 2021. Commodities that contributed to WPI inflation included concrete mixture (20%), poultry (17.75%), bed foam (15.98%), eggs (12.79%), pulses (12.70%), matchbox (11.14%), bajra (9.61%), furnace oil (9.33%), chaff cutter (7.81%), maize (7.76%), pipe fittings (7.7%), lathe machines (7.61%), air conditioners (7.42%), wheat flour (7.18%), auto tyres (6.74%), rice (5.76%), chemicals (5.60%), cotton seed (5.51%), fibre crops (4.18%), soaps and detergents (3.89%), kerosene oil (3.86%), diesel (3.84%), motor spirit (3.34%), wheat (3.26%), Mobil oil (3.10%), motor vehicles (2.36%), fertilizers (1.73%) and meat (1.66%). On the other hand, prices of fruits decreased by (24.29%), vegetables 14.05%, electrical energy 9.09%, steel bar and sheets 4.90%, potatoes 4.27% and sugar 1.30%. The inflation figures come days after the government started withdrawing costly fuel subsidies in a bid to unlock the much-needed funding from the International Monetary Fund.