Pakistan’s annual inflation rate rose to 8.21% in February of 2019 from 7.19% in the previous month. It was the highest inflation rate since June of 2014, as prices advanced faster for food & non-alcoholic beverages (4.52% from 1.58% in January); furniture & household equipment (9.24% from 8.18%); education (10.21% from 10.04%); other goods & services (9.87% from 8.96%); and recreation & culture (8.64% from 8.47%). On the other hand, cost slowed for housing & utilities (11.55% from 11.59%); transport (13.32% from 14.96%); clothing & footwear (6.85% from 7.17%); communication (7.77% from 7.79%); health (7.76% from 8.40%); alcoholic beverages & tobacco (13.21% from 14.24%); and restaurants & hotels (5.70% from 5.59%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices increased 0.64%, after a 1% rise in January. Inflation Rate in Pakistan averaged 7.75 percent from 1957 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 37.81 percent in December of 1973 and a record low of -10.32 percent in February of 1959.
Inflation Rate in Pakistan is expected to be 8.70 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate Inflation Rate in Pakistan to stand at 6.30 in 12 months time. In the long-term, the Pakistan Inflation Rate is projected to trend around 6.00 percent in 2020, according to our econometric models.