RBI MPC LIVE Updates: Will Governor Shaktikanta Das Go for Moderate Rate Hike?

in May and 50 bps each in June, August and September. The current policy repo rate is 5.9 per cent.

Read also: RBI Monetary Policy Committee meeting live: When, where and how to watch Shaktikanta Das’ address

The rate-setting panel of the Reserve Bank is likely to go for a modest interest rate hike of 25-35 basis points as inflation starts to show signs of easing and economic growth decelerates.

India’s largest lender State Bank of India in a research report authored by Soumya Kanti Ghosh, the group’s chief economic advisor, said on Monday: “We expect the RBI to keep rates in line with emerging markets central banks and overall rate-setting in the December policy.” Sure. A 35 bps hike in the repo rate looks imminent. We believe that at 6.25 per cent this could be the final rate for now.

Consumer Price Index (CPI)-based retail inflation, which is primarily taken into account by the RBI while formulating its monetary policy, is showing signs of moderation, but it is still above the central bank’s upper tolerance of 6 per cent since January this year. above level.

Inflation eased to 6.77 per cent in October from 7.41 per cent in the previous month, mainly due to lower prices in the food basket, though it remained above the Reserve Bank’s comfort level for the 10th consecutive month.

GDP growth slowed to 6.3 per cent in the second quarter of the fiscal from 13.5 per cent growth in the previous three months.

Most economists and analysts expect the rate hike to continue, but with a lesser magnitude than the earlier 50 basis points. Industry body Assocham, in its letter to RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, has also urged for a modest hike in interest rates to ensure that rising cost of borrowing does not adversely affect the nascent economic recovery.

Assocham in its letter has said that the new rate hike should not exceed 25-35 basis points.

ICRA Chief Economist Aditi Nayar said as CPI inflation remains above the MPC’s 6 per cent tolerance level in October 2022, another hike in the December 2022 policy is certain. “However, given the moderation in CPI inflation in October 2022 and expectations of a further decline in November 2022, its size is likely to be limited to 35 bps from the 50 bps seen in the last three reviews.”

India Ratings Principal Economist Sunil Sinha said the central bank has already undertaken monetary tightening and further rate hikes will likely be more data-dependent. “The frequency and magnitude of rate hikes are expected to decline. We expect status quo or at best a 25bp rate hike in December 2022 monetary policy.

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