Page 3 - Inflation

Medical costs up, ICICI Lombard makes a case for higher health cover

The insurer said customers should consider higher sums insured to keep pace with rising treatment costs, while stressing that the final decision rests with policyholders

India's wholesale inflation rises to 9.68% in May on high fuel, food prices

Rising energy costs linked to the West Asia conflict drove fuel inflation to 30.33 per cent, while food inflation climbed to 4.49 per cent in May

Inflation worries keep markets wary even after US-Iran peace deal

A drop in oil prices may ease inflation and give central banks more flexibility, but key issues, including Iran's nuclear program, sanctions relief and future operations of Hormuz remain unsettled

US-Iran peace deal may help boost India's exports, stabilise rupee

The announcement that the US and Iran have finalised a deal to end their 107-day conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz is expected to boost India's exports to West Asia, which was severely impacted by the hostilities, spur manufacturing activity and help stabilise the rupee, according to exporters and experts. They said the announcement, if implemented successfully, would reduce pressure on India's import bill, ease inflationary covers and create a more conducive environment for trade. The peace agreement would be signed on June 19 in Switzerland. The US and Iran have reached a peace deal to end a four-month war that disrupted global energy supplies, pushed oil prices above USD 100 per barrel, and brought the Middle East to the brink of a wider regional conflict. For India, which relies heavily on West Asia for crude oil, LPG and LNG supplies, the deal promises relief from high energy prices, pressure on the rupee, and inflation risks that intensified during the conflict, econom

India's long-term consumption story intact despite challenges: KKR

The investment firm says rising incomes, premiumisation and financial deepening continue to support India's long-term growth outlook despite energy and AI-related pressures

Inflation likely rose to 4% in May amid rising food, fuel costs: Poll

RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra said underlying inflation pressures remained benign, although second-round effects warranted vigilance

Indian companies hike prices, shrink packs as Iran war squeezes margins

The US-Israeli war on Iran has disrupted trade routes and lifted input costs ​globally, hitting import-reliant economies like India harder, where a weaker rupee is adding to inflation

EMs in the oil shock: Policymakers are going into an examination hall

The 2026 oil shock is testing emerging economies, with fuel pricing, exchange-rate flexibility and inflation control set to determine growth outcomes

RBI policy: 'Inflation target sacrosanct for us, not in abeyance at all'

RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra said the 4% inflation target remains sacrosanct, while stressing a data-driven approach amid supply-side risks and uncertainty

Indian households expect inflation to spike as consumer confidence wanes

RBI surveys show Indian households expect inflation to jump amid US-Iran war tensions and weak monsoon forecasts, driving a steep decline in consumer confidence

5 Key takeaways from RBI Monetary Policy June 2026 | Repo rate | Inflation | Forex | Oil | GDP

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Sanjay Malhotra on Friday said the central bank has decided to keep the repo rate unchanged at 5.25 per cent and retain its 'neutral' monetary policy stance

Asia faces rate-hike pressure as energy shock, AI boom fuel inflation

Asia is particularly vulnerable because it sits at the center of global manufacturing and technology supply chains while remaining heavily reliant on imported energy

Best of BS Opinion: RBI faces twin inflation risks as uncertainty swirls

Today's Opinion highlights the RBI's policy choices, soaring IPL franchise valuations, fiscal challenges, climate targets and a timely examination of contemporary China

RBI monetary policy: The critical need to attract foreign savings

Rising fuel prices and tighter global conditions are reshaping India's funding landscape, increasing reliance on bank credit as foreign and domestic savings slow

Iran's inflation at 77.2% in May, highest level since World War II

Year-on-year inflation in Iran reached a level in May unseen since World War II, underlining the economic pain average Iranians face as the Islamic Republic worries about the war with Israel and the United States restarting. A report Monday by Iran's Central Bank represents the first official acknowledgment of what Iranians shopping, paying for a taxi or visiting a medical clinic already know: The rial currency is battered by the war and uncertainty around it resuming. Meanwhile, longtime problems of economic mismanagement and government corruption also appear to be dragging down Iran's oil-backed economy as it remains under a US naval blockade. Economic pressure in the past has sparked nationwide protests, something Iran's theocracy has been trying to avoid since a crackdown on demonstrators in January killed over 7,000 people, according to activists' estimates. But even as hard-liners hold gun-handling workshops and organise marriages under the shadow of a ballistic missile to ..

Fuel price hikes could add up to 48 bps to inflation, warns Crisil

Crisil said cumulative increases in petrol and diesel prices could approach Rs 10 per litre, raising transport costs and exerting upward pressure on both food and core inflation

RBI may maintain status quo in June, hike rates twice in FY27: Economists

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is likely to keep the benchmark repo rate unchanged in the June monetary policy review, according to a PTI poll of economists and treasury heads. Most of the respondents expect the central bank to resume policy tightening later in FY27 amid mounting inflation risks. Of the respondents surveyed, 11 expect the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to maintain the status quo on rates in the upcoming policy to be announced on Friday, while four foresee a 0.25 per cent hike. "Pause because headline inflation remains below the 4 per cent target. The RBI has policy space to wait to see the second round impact on inflation from the fuel price hike. Flexible inflation target provides policy space to look through the first round impact of supply side shocks," said Gaura Sengupta, economist at IDFC First Bank. The MPC will meet between June 3 and June 5 to decide on the policy rates. The central bank has reduced the repo rate by 1.25 per cent since last year to aid .

Iran war puts RBI in razor-edge policy bind over inflation, growth, rupee

The rupee has tumbled ​to record lows since the Iran war broke out at the end of February

Global investors still under-allocated to emerging mkts: Candace Browning

BofA's Candace Browning sees inflation, central bank policy, AI, and India's market outlook as the key forces shaping global investments

FinMin calls for policy agility as economy shows 'cautious resilience'

The finance ministry on Saturday said strong domestic fundamentals support growth, but rising oil prices, a weaker monsoon and global uncertainty warrant continued policy vigilance