This threatens to pile on more hardship in a country whose inflation rate topped 300% in January
The retail inflation that for several months remained in the comfort zone of the central bank has started inching up and crossed the 7 per cent mark during December 2019
Central banks have responded like their developed-country peers: by lowering interest rates. They have more room to keep going -- but they also face more obstacles on the way down
While policy makers will assess the accompanying food-price data, it may not be compelling enough to hold their attention
Prices of most vegetables climbed during the month as monsoon downpours delayed harvests and disrupted supplies.
If the forecast is realized, March will be the eighth month in a row with below-target inflation, giving the RBI room to squeeze in another rate cut this year
According to the Statistics Ministry, consumer prices rose 5.21 per cent in December from a year earlier
The December inflation data is due to be released on Friday
The Reuters latest survey found 52 of 54 economists expected the RBI to hold the repo rate at 6.0 percent on Dec 6