
Pakistan June inflation rises 3.2% year on year, in line with ministry forecast
On a month-on-month basis, prices increased 0.2% in June, reversing a 0.2% decline in May.
The data comes after Pakistan's central bank kept its key interest rate unchanged at 11% in June.
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said in its latest monetary policy statement that inflation was expected to show some near-term volatility but gradually stabilise within the 5% to 7% target range.
The figures also come weeks after Pakistan unveiled its annual budget, which included new revenue measures and subsidy cuts as part of efforts to secure a long-term loan programme from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Analysts have warned that higher energy and tax costs could stoke inflation in the second half of the year.
Pakistan's stock exchange rose 2.3% on the day to close at an all-time high of 128475.7 points, on Tuesday, the first day of the new fiscal year. (Reporting by Ariba Shahid in Karachi; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
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