RBI assures Street on liquidity management

According to experts, this would result in government bond yields falling further on Thursday

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday assured the market it was closely monitoring liquidity conditions. It added it would take appropriate action, including open market operations, to ensure adequate liquidity was available to support the flow of credit to productive sectors of the economy.

Experts said the statement would result in government bond yields falling further on Thursday.

Beginning with the mid-quarter review of monetary policy on Friday, RBI began a calibrated unwinding of the exceptional measures announced since July to restore normalcy to financial flows. Currently, RBI is injecting about Rs 1.5 lakh crore into the system on a daily basis, through the liquidity adjustment facility, the export credit refinance facility and the marginal standing facility.

However, despite this, liquidity conditions have been tightening, as shown by the hardening of yields in the government securities market, owing to uncertainty on the government’s borrowing programme for the second half of 2013-14 and the prospective effects of banks’ half-yearly account closure. The seasonal pick-up in credit demand, the festive-season-related demand for currency and the sluggish deposit growth have also contributed to the tight liquidity.

On Wednesday, the yield on the 10-year 7.16 per cent benchmark government bond closed at 8.79 per cent, compared with its previous close of 8.84 per cent. Experts said the RBI’s assurance was necessary, as two government bond auctions were scheduled for this week.

On Monday, a government bond auction for a notified Rs 15,000 crore devolved partially on primary dealers to the tune of Rs 4,030 crore. On Friday, RBI would auction government bonds for a notified Rs 14,000 crore.