Prices of cars, two-wheelers, televisions, refrigerators and air conditioners are expected to rise up to 5-6% from April. Manufacturers are grappling with a sharp surge in cost of inputs — including crude derivatives such as plastics, resins, and polymers — higher international freight rates and rupee depreciation triggered by the Gulf war. Automakers are considering … Read more
Although low inflation rate and high growth led the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to reduce repo rate by 25 basis points (bps) earlier this month to support growth, the drastic fall in inflation numbers remained a cause for concern, the minutes of the MPC released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday indicate. … Read more
US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell-led Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) on Wednesday cut the key benchmark rate by 25 basis points, bringing it down to the 3.75-4.00 per cent range. According to the FOMC statement, “uncertainty about the economic outlook remains elevated.”“Available indicators suggest that economic activity has been expanding at a moderate pace. … Read more
RBI governor Sanjay Malhotra in his maiden monetary policy committee (MPC) meeting had said that it was an ‘appropriate time’ to cut rates, given the macroeconomic outlook and expected inflation alignment with the target. Malhotra had argued that monetary easing, along with agricultural growth and budgetary measures, would stimulate household consumption, housing investment and capital … Read more
The government revised gold and silver imports for April-November FY25, with the steepest downward revision of $5 billion in the former. Data for November gold imports was revised to $9.84 billion, from the $14.86 billion announced last month, narrowing the trade deficit for the month to $32.8 billion, from the record $37.8 billion estimated earlier. … Read more
The government has set up a working group under NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chand for revising the base year of the current series of Wholesale Price Index (WPI) to 2022-23 from 2011-12 currently. The group will suggest the commodity basket of WPI and Producer Price Index (PPI) with base year 2022-23 considering structural changes in … Read more
“I won on groceries,” the president-elect said in an interview Sunday on “Meet the Press.” In his nomination-acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in July, Trump said he would “end the devastating inflation crisis immediately.” Despite his pledge to lower inflation, if Trump follows through on some of his tariff and immigration plans , … Read more
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) may keep the current policy rates unchanged in the ongoing Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, according to a report by the Union Bank of India. As per the report, RBI is unlikely to announce a cash reserve ratio (CRR) cut to improve liquidity. A CRR cut is viewed as … Read more
India’s central bank is likely to defer a decision on slashing rates to at least February, economists said, illustrating the risks posed by imported inflation from a sliding currency and higher US yields after the election of stiff tariffs-backing Donald Trump as the incoming president. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das has said … Read more