Page 5 - Inflation

Fuel pushes March wholesale inflation to 3.88%; highest in 41 months

The increased rate of inflation in March was primarily due to a jump in prices of crude petroleum & natural gas, other manufacturing, non-food articles, manufacture of basic metals and food articles

IMF lifts India FY27 growth to 6.5% as lower US tariffs offset risks

IMF has raised India's FY27 growth forecast to 6.5 per cent, saying lower US tariffs could offset the impact of West Asia tensions even as global growth and trade outlook weaken

Crude oil prices at $130 could unsettle growth outlook: S&P Global

S&P Global says crude at $130 per barrel could slow India's growth, widen fiscal deficit, raise inflation and strain corporate and banking sector performance

Policy challenge: Oil shocks and monsoon risks cloud India's outlook

The brunt of the war and persistent geopolitical tensions could vary across countries, with economies dependent on imported energy likely to face a greater impact

Gold falls as US blockade of Strait of Hormuz raises inflationary risks

Bullion fell as much as 2.2 per cent to dip below $4,650 an ounce in early trading, before paring losses

India's high valuation premium to other EMs won't return easily: Amish Shah

Shah said any further market upside is likely to be earnings-led rather than driven by valuation expansion

Rising yields, inflation to keep FY27 corporate bond issuances subdued

Corporate bond issuances likely to remain subdued in FY27 as elevated yields, inflation risks and liquidity conditions weigh on fundraising activity and investor appetite

Crude sustaining above $100 will push inflation beyond 6%, says HSBC

Crude oil sustaining above USD 100 per barrel will push the headline inflation above 6 per cent, the upper level of RBI's tolerance band, and trigger rate hikes, a foreign brokerage has said. Economists at HSBC said that consumer price inflation (CPI) will remain below 6 per cent if oil prices average below USD 100 per barrel, as per its modelling. "... Sustained oil above USD100/bbl would push inflation beyond 6 per cent, likely triggering rate hikes," the economists said, adding that we are at "crossroads" as Brent has averaged USD 100 in March. Amid speculation ahead of next Wednesday's monetary policy announcement on whether the RBI uses interest rates to defend the rupee, the report suggested risks of such a move. "An interest-rate defence for the INR can be expensive when the growth drag becomes non-linear and intensifies quickly with higher oil prices," it said. The economists recommended adopting a "neutral" stance on both the monetary and fiscal fronts for now, as the ...

Best of BS Opinion: All eyes on RBI's policy meeting amid Iran conflict

From Sebi's governance gaps and inflation targeting to investor protection concerns, AI-led consumer insights, and evolving global discourse, today's BS Opinion offers sharp perspectives

Inflation dynamics: Ongoing Iran conflict will complicate policy choices

Research has shown that both the inflation rate and volatility moderated after the adoption of the flexible inflation-targeting framework

First time in this rate cycle, RBI faces growth-inflation dilemma

The going was good until war in West Asia started. The inflation rate was low with growth staying robust

Expedite WPI base year revision, says Parliamentary panel report

Committee asks DPIIT to align WPI with revised GDP, CPI and IIP series, and roll out producer price indices to improve price measurement and data accuracy

No formal study on GST rate rationalisation's inflation impact: Govt

Government says no formal study has assessed GST rate rationalisation's inflation impact; GST revenue rose 8.1% in February, with rural consumption showing strong gains

Retirement portfolio beyond FDs: Diversify for inflation, longevity risks

The entire retirement corpus will not be needed on day one, so it should be split into growth and income-generation buckets to manage inflation and longevity risks

ECB holds rates as West Asia conflict clouds growth, inflation outlook

"The war in the Middle East...will have a material impact on near-term inflation through higher energy pricesm," the ECB said

US Fed holds rates, signals one cut in 2026 despite higher inflation

Inflation, as measured by the Fed's preferred gauge, was expected to end the year at 2.7 per cent , not far below its current rate and higher than the 2.4 per cent projected in December

Fewer episodes of rate hike in inflation target regime, says SBI report

SBI report says India has seen fewer instances of interest rate hikes since the flexible inflation targeting regime began, with the third five-year phase set to start next month

WPI inflation at 11-month high of 2.13% in February, shows govt data

Factory-gate inflation rises to an 11-month high in February, driven by higher prices of primary goods and manufactured products, while fuel and power remain in deflation

RBI's clarity of communication will be as critical as the policy itself

In inflation-targeting economies such as India, communication is a key instrument of monetary policy

Statsguru: Economic strain in the shadow of rising West Asia conflict

Periods of major wars - both global and regional - have frequently aligned with spikes in India's inflation