Annual inflation rises to 9.61 per cent in October

ISLAMABAD: Inflation in the country rose by 1.08 per cent month-on-month in October 2026, while the annual rate reached 9.61 per cent.

According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, inflation in October 2026 was 9.61 per cent higher than in October 2025. Average inflation during the first four months of the current financial year was recorded at 10.05 per cent.

The figures show that inflation rose by 0.81 per cent in urban areas and 1.49 per cent in rural areas in October.

Food prices rose by 2.26 per cent month-on-month in October. Chicken became 19.38 per cent more expensive, gram lentils (daal chana) 9.17 per cent, wheat 9.01 per cent and flour 7.54 per cent.

Prices of fresh vegetables rose by 6.55 per cent, eggs by 5.72 per cent and mash lentils (daal mash) by 5.54 per cent.

On the other hand, the price of tomatoes fell by 31.63 per cent, onions by 4.23 per cent, potatoes by 4.04 per cent and sugar by 2.17 per cent.

Inflation in the transport sector rose by 1.79 per cent, while the cost of housing, electricity, gas and fuel went up by 0.25 per cent.

Prices of liquefied hydrocarbons rose by 8.39 per cent, motor fuel by 3 per cent, cotton cloth by 1.22 per cent, house rent by 0.94 per cent and medicines by 0.90 per cent.

In October, prices of miscellaneous goods and services fell by 0.71 per cent, while electricity charges fell by 3.31 per cent.