Islamabad: Headline inflation in Pakistan rose to 6.98 percent in February, an increase from 5.80 percent recorded in January, indicating a faster rise in the cost of living. The month-to-month price increase was reported at 0.27 percent. Food inflation, meanwhile, was recorded at 5.8 percent higher compared to the previous year, with variations observed in different food categories.

According to Relief Web, while rice prices remained stable, the prices of pulses saw a slight increase, attributed to lower production impacting local availability. Additionally, the report noted an improvement in the Terms of Trade by 1.5 percent over the previous month. However, it remains 21 percent worse than the same period last year, highlighting continued challenges in purchasing power for households.