India Central Bank Cuts rates, Cites Easing Inflation, Tariffs

MT Newswires Live
09 Apr

Citing moderating inflation but possible turmoil from Trump Administration tariffs, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cut key policy interest rates by 0.25% on Wednesday.

India's central bank reduced its key repo rate to 6% from 6.25%, and also cut by 0.25% the standing deposit facility to 5.75%, and the marginal standing facility rate and the bank rate to 6.25%. It was the second policy session in succession that the RBI cut rates.

The RBI also publicly shifted its official monetary policy stance to "accommodative" from "neutral," a signal that central bankers may lean to reducing rates in the future to stimulate economic expansion.

The RBI has an inflation target of 4% annually, within a band of plus or minus 2%.

Giving some room to the RBI to operate, the nation's official on-year inflation rate dropped 3.62% in February, down from a revised 4.26% in the previous month, and thus striking below the mid-point of the RBI's inflation target range.

Like many other nations, India experienced bouts of inflation during and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic era, with on-year inflation rate cresting at 7.79% in April of 2022.

To battle inflation, the RBI raised its key repo rate from 4% in March 2022 to 6.5% by March of 2023, before this year's rate reductions brought the key rate back down to 6%.

Citing global uncertainties, the RBI modestly lowered its gross domestic product (GDP) forecast for India to 6.5% in the fiscal year starting April 1, from its previous projection of 6.7%.

"The recent trade tariff-related measures have exacerbated uncertainties clouding the economic outlook across regions, posing new headwinds for global growth and inflation. Financial markets have responded through a sharp fall in the dollar index and equity sell-offs with significant softening in bond yields and crude oil prices," explained the RBI.

In addition, the RBO lowered its inflation forecast for the fiscal year to 4% from 4.2%.

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