India Economics Update Markets regain their poise India's financial markets have rallied over the past couple of weeks following a terrible start to the year. The rupee has strengthened, while local equities have made significant gains. Meanwhile... 21st March 2016 · 1 min read
India Economics Update Investment activity showing tentative signs of improvement The government’s plans to boost capital expenditure should help sustain the recent tentative pick-up in investment activity. But slow movement on the reform front means that a spectacular rebound is... 18th March 2016 · 1 min read
India Economics Update Lower import bill to keep trade deficit in check India’s monthly trade deficit narrowed in February to its smallest since September 2013. With a number of factors likely to keep commodity imports in check, the overall current account position is... 16th March 2016 · 1 min read
India Economics Update Outlook for remittances remains upbeat The recent market turbulence cast a spotlight on the potential for shifts in capital flows to destabilise emerging markets such as India. One factor that often gets overlooked is the role of overseas... 10th March 2016 · 1 min read
India Economics Update Inflation to edge down but scope for loosening limited Inflation is likely to have edged down in February as food price pressures have shown signs of abating. The chances of there being perhaps one more rate cut in the near term have risen, but this is... 8th March 2016 · 1 min read
India Economics Update Finance ministry’s revenue assumptions look too optimistic Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s budget on Monday was well received, with targets for further reductions in the deficit left unchanged and projected spending in key areas ramped up. But the plans are... 2nd March 2016 · 1 min read
India Economics Update FY16/17 budget: finance ministry stays on consolidation path At first glance, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley appears to have pulled off a difficult balancing act in today’s nbudget announcement. The tighter deficit targets have been left unchanged, while the... 29th February 2016 · 1 min read
India Economics Update Land laws to remain an economic constraint With markets and commentators focused on what will be unveiled in the FY16/17 budget on Monday, prospects for the rest of the current session of parliament have slipped under the radar. One of the... 26th February 2016 · 1 min read
India Economics Update Policymakers unfazed by rupee slide The Indian rupee has depreciated against the US dollar so far in 2016 to its weakest level since the 2013 "taper tantrum". But unlike three years ago, there is little reason for policymakers to panic. 22nd February 2016 · 1 min read
India Economics Update What measures are needed to revive the banking sector? Comments last week from RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan that local banks are in need of "deep surgery" has refocused attention on the ailing sector. Large-scale capital injections, increased private... 17th February 2016 · 1 min read
India Economics Update Trade deficit to remain in check despite weak export prospects India’s trade deficit narrowed at the start of 2016 as the continued slump in exports was more than offset by another collapse in imports. With a number of factors likely to keep commodity imports in... 16th February 2016 · 1 min read
India Economics Update Have the gold schemes been a success? The government’s two new schemes aimed at reducing gold imports have had mixed results in their early stages. The Gold Monetisation Scheme has attracted little interest, while the Sovereign Gold Bond... 11th February 2016 · 1 min read
India Economics Update Budget proposals could stoke price pressures Inflation is likely to have risen at the start of 2016 on account of a further small rise in food inflation. Looking ahead, the FY16/17 budget is likely to incorporate a significant rise in public... 5th February 2016 · 1 min read
India Economics Update RBI holds rates, no change likely in 2016 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) kept its repo rate on hold at 6.75% today and, while the consensus is expecting further modest loosening later this year, we think that rates will remain unchanged... 2nd February 2016 · 1 min read
India Economics Update Fiscal success in FY15/16, but tougher challenges await As attention turns to the government’s FY16/17 budget announcement on 29 th February, the finance ministry can look back on what appears to have been a successful FY15/16. We think that this year’s... 29th January 2016 · 1 min read
India Economics Update Bad start to 2016 India has not been spared the sell-off in EM financial markets since the start of the year. The rupee is now at its weakest rate against the US dollar since the currency crisis of September 2013... 21st January 2016 · 1 min read
