India Data Response Manufacturing PMI (Apr.) India’s manufacturing PMI held up well in April, reflecting the fact that the containment measures in response to the surge in COVID-19 cases have been very light touch compared to last year. But the... 3rd May 2021 · 2 mins read
Asia Data Response Manufacturing PMIs (Apr.) The April PMI readings suggest that manufacturing improved further in most places in Asia after a strong Q1. Global demand for electronics should continue to support the sector over the next few... 3rd May 2021 · 2 mins read
India Data Response Core Infrastructure Industries (Mar.) India’s core infrastructure industries index rebounded in March, but this is old news given the dramatic surge in virus cases and renewed tightening of containment measures since then. 30th April 2021 · 2 mins read
India Economics Weekly Signs of financial stress emerge The sharp widening in credit spreads over the past few days will have concerned policymakers and - like last year - a forceful response is likely if further signs of financial stress emerge. But while... 30th April 2021 · 5 mins read
India Economics Update How badly is the economy being hit? Real-time data on traffic, electricity demand and mobility suggest that, so far at least, India’s virus outbreak has had more of an impact on behaviour than it has on activity. We will continue to... 27th April 2021 · 2 mins read
India Economics Weekly How damaging will be the new restrictions be? With the economic damage from last year’s lockdown still fresh in the memory, there appears to be little appetite for a return to extreme measures to curb the ongoing outbreak. But given the very... 23rd April 2021 · 4 mins read
India Economics Update MPC minutes suggest policy tightening a long way off The minutes of the Reserve Bank’s April policy meeting – in which interest rates were left unchanged – show that the MPC is committed to keeping policy accommodative to support the economic recovery... 23rd April 2021 · 2 mins read
India Chart Pack Virus restrictions start to bite Our in-house mobility tracker suggests that the surge in virus infections in India is now weighing on activity. This is likely to become more pronounced as the outbreak has become more widespread... 21st April 2021 · 10 mins read
India Economics Weekly Investment recovery enters a slower phase Monthly data suggest that the recovery in investment has slowed, and headwinds are mounting too. The surge in virus cases means lots of firms will tread with caution in the near term, while problems... 16th April 2021 · 3 mins read
India Economics Update Surge in gold imports no threat to external position The widening in India’s goods trade deficit in March came on the back of a surge in monthly gold imports to its highest on record. But this was driven in part by one-off factors. Looking ahead, we... 15th April 2021 · 3 mins read
India Data Response India Wholesale Prices (Mar. 2021) The faster-than-anticipated acceleration in headline wholesale price inflation in March was driven by a surge in fuel inflation, but we think it should fall back soon enough. And with the recent jump... 15th April 2021 · 2 mins read
India Data Response Consumer Prices (Mar.) & Industrial Production (Feb.) India’s consumer price inflation jumped to a four-month high in March as food inflation accelerated. But we doubt that the headline rate will continue rising for much longer and, with the economic... 12th April 2021 · 2 mins read
India Economics Weekly QE or not QE isn’t really the question The RBI's new bond purchase programme announced this week has led to comparisons with quantitative easing (QE), but there appears to be some subtle differences. In truth however, it matters little... 9th April 2021 · 6 mins read
India Economic Outlook Surge in infections a risk to the recovery The economic recovery has progressed well over recent months and as things currently stand growth is on course to be stronger than the consensus expects this year. But the recent surge in virus cases... 8th April 2021 · 19 mins read
India Economics Update RBI will keep policy loose for a long while yet The MPC voted to keep the repo and reverse repo rates on hold today amid the surge in COVID-19 cases, and committed to keeping policy “accommodative to support and nurture the recovery”. Given this... 7th April 2021 · 3 mins read
India Data Response Services & Composite PMI (Mar.) India’s PMI readings for March indicate that the economic recovery continued to progress well at the end of Q1. But with virus cases surging and new restrictions quickly coming onto the agenda, the... 7th April 2021 · 2 mins read
