Page 13 - Global Economy

Softer core inflation data drives India 10-year bond yield to 4-month low

U.S. yields eased last week after December producer prices data fell unexpectedly, raising bets of an early interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve

Cen banks to intervene more in bond mkt; regulation needs review: ICMA

The report is based on the biggest government bond markets in Europe

Global economy will slow for a third straight year in 2024: World Bank

Hobbled by high interest rates, persistent inflation, slumping trade and a diminished China, the global economy will slow for a third consecutive year in 2024. That is the picture sketched by the World Bank, which forecast Tuesday that the world economy will expand just 2.4 per cent this year. That would be down from 2.6 per cent growth in 2023, 3 per cent in 2022 and a galloping 6.2 per cent in 2021, which reflected the robust recovery from the pandemic recession of 2020. Heightened global tensions, arising particularly from Israel's war with Hamas and the conflict in Ukraine, pose the risk of even weaker growth. And World Bank officials express worry that deeply indebted poor countries cannot afford to make necessary investments to fight climate change and poverty. Near-term growth will remain weak, leaving many developing countries especially the poorest stuck in a trap: with paralyzing levels of debt and tenuous access to food for nearly one out of every three people," Indermi

Markets in India's decade

Have the markets already played out their dynamics before the economy has even properly taken off?

From domestic to global asset pricing

Global asset pricing has interesting implications for investors and firms

India's macro-economic health and prospects for 2024

Here's what keeps the Indian economy booming amidst the global slowdown

UN report revises India's GDP projection downward to 6.2% for 2024

Despite revising the growth estimates for 2024 downward by 0.5 percentage points, the report projects a rebound in 2025, with a GDP growth projection of 6.6 per cent

UK economy to hit 2% inflation target by spring in upgraded outlook

A 1% cut in the basic rate of income tax in April would add another £4 billion this year, and a halving of the inheritance tax rate to 20% would be worth close to £1 billion more for 2024

Weekly US jobless claims at 2-month low; labour market gradually easing

The government reported on Wednesday that job openings fell to near a three-year low in November. Labor market strength is expected to again shield the economy from recession this year

Metal prices unlikely to improve due to global macroeconomic state: ICRA

Global prices of metals, including aluminium, are unlikely to improve considerably in the near term due to uncertainties in the global macroeconomic environment, Icra said on Wednesday. Besides, energy costs are likely to increase in the second half of the current fiscal, as the domestic e-auction premia on coal is projected to be significantly higher. "International prices of three non-ferrous metals, viz., aluminium, copper and zinc, have been range-bound and fell by 2-3 per cent in the last two quarters. Such prices are unlikely to improve substantially in the near term owing to uncertainties in the global macroeconomic environment," Icra said in a statement. The increase in coal costs along with weak global sentiments impacting metal prices remain near-term concerns, Jayanta Roy, Senior Vice President and Group Head, Corporate Sector Ratings, Icra, said. With an improvement in metal supply, primarily in China, the global metal balance is likely to remain in surplus in 2024 as .

Everyone wants to do an FTA with India due to rapidly growing market: GTRI

Countries ranging from large economies like Europe, and the UK to smaller ones, including Oman and Peru, want to have a free trade agreement with India due to the country's large and rapidly growing market, a report by economic think tank GTRI said. The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said that by implementing a trade deal (FTA) with India, countries can access the Indian market with less or no import duties on substantial trade. This gives their companies an advantage over others in selling to the Indian market. Additionally, since India currently does most of its importing (over 75 per cent) from countries it does not have FTAs with, these agreements are particularly appealing as they offer a significant new market opportunity in India. "Everyone wants to do an FTA with India. Countries ranging from large economies like the US, Europe, Japan, and the UK to smaller ones like Oman, Peru, and Mauritius either already have or actively seeking an FTA with India. The main reaso

Israel delivers first interest rate cut since pandemic as war rages

The monetary committee on Monday lowered its key rate to 4.5% from 4.75%, ending a pause in place since July

World needs India to become reliable challenger to China: Anand Mahindra

The world needs India to become a reliable challenger to China's supply-chain dominance, which will provide a great opportunity in 2024 and investment will flow into the country in unprecedented volumes, according to Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra. In his New Year message, Mahindra also said all signs point to the Indian economy achieving "the mythical lift-off that we have been awaiting, for decades" and predicted that in 2024 "companies that are able to create a portfolio of desirable products both in features and price will face the happy challenge of raising their production to meet demand". Stressing that "a New Year is special because it always symbolises a new beginning", he said, "No matter how dark the year has gone by, the human spirit has an abiding capacity for hope. 2023 was a year characterised by conflict, climate change and a sluggish post-Covid recovery. The year ended with the world crying out for renewal." The first day of the new year opens a new chapter,

Lanka needs to stick to IMF programme to overcome crisis: Central bank guv

Sri Lanka's bankrupt economy has "no alternative" but to stick to the current USD 2.9 billion IMF bailout programme, central bank governor Nandalal Weerasinghem has said. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved the release of the second tranche worth USD 337 million to Sri Lanka earlier this month. Weerasinghe was responding to queries if the island nation was open to renegotiating the terms of the four-year programme on the back of claims by opposition parties that they would renegotiate conditions for the IMF's USD 2.9 billion bailout package. There is no alternative. The fact that we attempted alternatives was why we are here (bankruptcy) now, Weerasinghe told reporters on Friday. We have to go in the same path, say, if the period of debt restructuring allowed is 10 years if they (opposition) want to change it, the creditors can say, we don't support this anymore. If we were to leave the programme, we will have to pay USD 6 billion a year in repayments, Weerasinghe ...

Afghanistan's humanitarian crisis deepens amid economic downturn: UNICEF

The report highlights that the economic downturn has led to an increased demand for humanitarian aid in Afghanistan

Big tech firms nearly pause recruitment in India amid global slowdown

These companies have registered a 90% decline in active job postings in India in 2023 when compared to the last year, according to a report

'Discontents' notwithstanding, India has done well in last quarter century

While India should be concerned about disparities, the fact is that whereas three decades ago about half the people had incomes greater than $2.15 a day, today seven out of eight do, writes T N Ninan

China Nov industrial output rises 6.6%, retail sales below expectations

The data on output released on Friday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) exceeded analysts' expectations for a 5.6% rise in a Reuters poll and made it the strongest growth since September 2022

China's central bank injects $112 bn of cash to revive economic growth

The People's Bank of China offered commercial lenders 1.45 trillion yuan ($204 billion) via its medium-term lending facility - 800 billion yuan more than the expected maturity this month

ADB raises India FY24 growth forecast to 6.7%, cites industry performance

China in 2024 is expected to slow down to 4.5%, says lender in report raising estimate for Developing Asia