Modernise data system

Economic data must be released during market hours

Last week, the National Statistical Office of the Union government released the gross domestic product (GDP) estimates for the second quarter of this fiscal year. As usual, the data was released well after the trading day had closed, at 5:30 pm. On the same day, the latest print for the core sector was made public — that too after the close of business. This is followed as a norm with many important data results. Inflation numbers too tend to be issued very late. The government seems to believe that it is necessary to do so in order to minimise trading