Appropriate time for a rate cut: RBI governor in policy meet

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

India revises gold and silver import figures: Trade deficit narrowed

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

Working group formed to revise WPI base year to 2022-23 from 2011-12

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

Inflation is stuck. Can Trump unstick it?

“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

RBI may defer rate cut call to February as inflation’s still hot

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

Inflation will begin to cool off after October, says RBI governor

The central bank’s projections indicate that inflation will moderate after remaining high in October, RBI governor Shaktikanta Das has said, while cautioning that geopolitical risks and weather events pose potential threats. “Sept inflation crossed 5%, and we expect October inflation to be high as well. However, our projections indicate that inflation will begin to moderate … Read more

Fed policymakers say they are ready to start cutting interest rates

US central bank poised to cut rates at Sept. 17-18 meeting Fed policymakers focused on cooling labor market Traders expect Fed’s first move to be 25-basis-point cut By Ann Saphir, Lindsay Dunsmuir and Michael S. Derby Sept 6 (Reuters) – Federal Reserve policymakers on Friday signaled they are ready to kick off a series of … Read more

Rate easing may have to wait, highlights RBI in its latest bulletin

Easing of rates by the Reserve Bank of India might still have to wait going by the hawkish tone in an assessment of the economy published by the RBI economists in its latest monthly bulletin. “A modest easing of headline inflation in the reading for April 2024 confirms the expectation that an uneven and lagged … Read more