Page 17 - Inflation

US inflation rises moderately, consumer spending cools before Fed's meet

The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index nudged up 0.1% last month after being unchanged in May, the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis reported

Russia's Central Bank raises key interest rate to 18% as inflation soars

Russia's Central Bank on Friday raised its key lending rate to its highest level in more than two years to stem soaring inflation in an overheated economy hit by Western sanctions in response to Moscow's military action in Ukraine. The bank raised the rate by 200 basis points to 18.00%, noting that inflation has accelerated and is developing significantly above its forecast. Growth in domestic demand is still outstripping the capabilities to expand the supply of goods and services, the bank said in a statement. For inflation to begin decreasing again, monetary policy needs to be tightened further. It noted that inflationary risks have been driven by high inflation expectations and changing trade terms as a result of geopolitical tensions, a reference to Western sanctions against Russia over its action in Ukraine. It said annual inflation grew from 8.6% in June to 9.0% in July, reflecting an increase in utility costs that took effect starting this month. The bank revised the inflat

Open to feedback on tax changes but... read FinMin latest remark on Budget

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's recent remark follows feedback from several experts and salaried individuals who feel that the Budget did not provide sufficient relief to the middle class

Govt prepares for Rs 10,000 crore war chest to fight food inflation

Within the whole inflation basket, food inflation has been stubbornly high

Neutral rate raised on shift in potential output, says RBI bulletin

"With headline GDP growth rates trending higher after the pandemic, a step up in the natural rate estimates appears appropriate," said Aditi Nayar, chief economist, ICRA

Global shipping-market strain revives fear of inflation comeback again

The historic disruption of $25 trillion in global goods trade that culminated two years ago left the deep economic scars of inflation and paranoia about shortages

Fruit inflation soars: Mangoes up 37%, other summer fruits also affected

Persistent heat and uneven monsoon distribution and a surge in demand have resulted in reduced production of fruits and higher prices

Canada inflation cools more than expected to 2.7% ahead of rate decision

Tuesday's data showed that headline inflation was cooler than the Bank of Canada's 2.9 per cent inflation forecast for the end of the first half of 2024

Consumer price inflation seen up in June due to soaring vegetable prices

Prices of tomatoes, onions, and potatoes - staples in every Indian kitchen - surged by double digits last month as extreme heat, heavy floods in northern states disrupted agricultural production

Fed officials at last meeting saw price pressures in decline, minutes show

Data released on June 12 showed the CPI had not risen at all in May on a month-to-month basis

Inflation down in Europe, but ECB in no hurry to cut rates further: Report

Inflation in the 20-nation eurozone crept lower to 2.5% in June, but remained stuck above the level favoured by the European Central Bank, which is in no hurry to add more rate cuts after a first tentative reduction in its benchmark rate. The figure released Tuesday was down from 2.6% in May, welcome news as inflation continues to fall from its peak of 10.6% that robbed consumers of spending power and mired the European economy in months of near-zero growth. But key indicators Tuesday remained at levels that suggest inflation may remain stuck between 2% and 3% for a while yet. Inflation in services prices ran at 4.1%, unchanged from the month before. The ECB's caution in making sure inflation is under control comes as the US Federal Reserve holds off on cutting rates from current highs. The central banks don't want to belatedly discover that inflation is more stubborn than they thought and reverse course - a mistake that would make inflation harder to wring out of the economy and ..

At its lowest level in three years, German inflation eases to 2.5% in June

Economists pay close attention to German inflation data, as the euro zone's biggest economy publishes its figures before the euro zone inflation data release

Above normal monsoon in 2024 can ease pressure on food prices, says RBI

The report said that in the current economic landscape, several positive factors are contributing to a promising outlook

Silver outlook, June 26: Bias bearish; MCX Sept contract support at Rs 88k

Silver outlook and trading strategy today, June 26, 2024: Spot Silver, at the time of the MCX closing, was trading at $28.90, down 2.45 per cent for the day on Tuesday

India's inflation also K-shaped; villagers more hurt by price-rise: HSBC

Just like the post-pandemic recovery, the Indian inflation story is also 'K-shaped' and is hurting certain sections more than others, a foreign brokerage said on Tuesday. Rural consumers are more impacted by price-rise than their urban counterparts, economists at HSBC said, adding it outstripped the urban segment by 1.1 percentage point in May, mainly due to higher food inflation. "The same developments, driving a K-shaped recovery, seem to be driving K-shaped inflation dynamics," they said in a report. The report by its chief economist Pranjul Bhandari cited the ongoing heat waves, pointing out that higher food and lower core inflation are coexisting because of crop damage and livestock mortality pushing up the former. The government lent a helping hand by cutting several fuel prices but many of the fuels like petrol, diesel and LPG are not commonly used in rural areas, like they are in urban centres, leading to rural inflation being much higher than urban, it said. The report no

Retail inflations for agricultural, rural workers remain almost flat in May

Retail inflation for agricultural labourers and rural workers remained almost flat at 7 per cent and 7.02 per cent, respectively, in May as against the two comparative figures of 7.03 per cent and 6.96 per cent a month ago. The corresponding figures in May 2023 were 5.99 per cent for CPI-AL (Consumer Price Index-Agricultural Labourers) and 5.84 per cent for CPI-RL (Consumer Price Index-Rural Labourers), a labour ministry statement said. According to the statement, the point-on-point inflation rate based on CPI-AL was recorded at 7.00 per cent in May 2024, showing a deceleration from 7.03 per cent in April this year. Conversely, it stated that for CPI-RL, the inflation rate was recorded at 7.02 per cent in May 2024, a marginal increase from 6.96 per cent in the preceding month. The All-India Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourers (CPI-AL) and Rural Labourers (CPI-RL) registered an increase of 6 points each in May 2024, reaching levels of 1,269 and 1,281, respectively. The

BoE keeps key interest rate at 16-year high of 5.25% despite inflation fall

The Bank of England on Thursday kept its main interest rate at a 16-year high of 5.25 per cent, even though inflation has fallen to its target of 2 per cent. In a statement, some policymakers on the bank's nine-member Monetary Policy Committee voiced worries that some underlying measures of inflation, such as in the services sector, remain elevated, which could be stoked further if interest rates are cut too soon. The decision, which was widely anticipated by economists, is likely to disappoint the governing Conservative Party ahead of the UK's general election in two weeks time. A cut would have been seized upon by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as positive economic news.

Retail sales up 0.1% in May from Apr as still high inflation curbs spending

Consumers barely increased spending in May from April as still high inflation and high interest rates curbed spending. Retail sales rose 0.1 per cent in May, below the pace that economists projected, according to the Commerce Department. And April sales were revised downward a 0.2 per cent decline, from unchanged. Sales rose 0.6 per cent in March and 0.9 per cent in February. That comes after sales fell 1.1 per cent in January, dragged down in part by inclement weather. Excluding gas prices and auto sales, retail sales rose the same amount. Excluding sales from gasoline, whose prices have been falling, sales were up 0.3 per cent. The retail sales data offers only a partial look at consumer spending because it excludes things like travel and lodging. However at restaurants, the lone service category tracked in the monthly retail sales report, sales fell 0.4 per cent in May. Sales at clothing and accessory stores rose 0.9 per cent, while electronics and appliance stores posted a 0.

US retail sales miss expectations in May; April data revised significantly

Inflation and higher interest rates are forcing households to prioritise essentials and cut back on discretionary spending

India must avoid 'adventurism', focus on bringing down inflation: RBI chief

The central bank kept the key repo rate unchanged at 6.5% for an eighth straight policy meeting earlier this month saying robust economic growth will give it space to focus on bringing down inflation