RBI Monetary policy highlights: Inflation outlook uncertain, says RBI guv

RBI Monetary policy: RBI today decided to keep rates unchanged today amid rising inflation, lockdowns and Covid surge. Stay tuned for all the LIVE updates

RBI monetary policy highlights: The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) six-member monetary policy committee, headed by Governor Shaktikanta Das, announced the outcome of its bi-monthly monetary policy review today. Given the rise in the spread of coronavirus and the imposition of fresh restrictions to contain the virus spread, the RBI decided to maintain status quo on the benchmark repo rate — the rate at which the central bank lends short-term funds to banks — at 4 per cent. It also kept the accommodative monetary stance unchanged today to nurture a fragile economic recovery.  

The policy announcement, the first for the fiscal, will come days after the government maintained the RBI's target to ensure inflation to be within 2-6 per cent band for five more years.

Policy repo rate or the short-term lending rate is currently at 4%, and reverse repo rate 3.35%

Stay tuned for RBI Monetary policy LIVE updates

12:50 PM

Deputy Governor Patra comments on RBI’s message to the markets on G-SAP

Irrespective of what the RBI wants, we will give you Rs 1 trillion; that;s our message to the markets

By influencing G-Sec rates, we can ensure congenial financing conditions

In the OMO setting, the market is usually guessing, as opposed to G-SAP where there is an explicit commitment

12:36 PM

RBI Monetary policy LIVE: Inflation outlook uncertain, says RBI Guv Das

Have mentioned in our statement that 4% inflation target is well entrenched

 

Tolerance band allows room to the RBI to act in extraordinary circumstances

 

12:34 PM

At the current juncture, we have said that growth is of paramount importance: RBI Governor

At the current juncture, we have said that growth is of paramount importance, while keeping in mind inflation targetting: Shaktikanta Das

12:33 PM

RBI Monetary policy LIVE: Inflation outlook uncertain, says RBI Guv Das

RBI Monetary policy LIVE: Inflation outlook uncertain, says RBI Guv Das

12:29 PM

RBI comitting its balance sheet to the conduct of monetary policy for the first time: RBI Dy Guv Michael Patra

Giving an amount allows participants to plan their engagement with the borrowing programme.

It is a challenging instrument; but it is a risk RBI has taken given its commitment to liquidity management

12:26 PM

G-SAP is different from usual open market operations. We have given it a distinct character: Shaktikanta Das

"For the first time we are giving a quantum for bond purchase in the secondary market.

 

Within the quarter, we will be announcing secondary market auctions from time to time"

12:20 PM

RBI Monetary Policy LIVE: RBI Dy Guv Michael Patra: GSAP will run alongside our normal liquidity operations

RBI Monetary Policy LIVE: RBI Dy Guv Michael Patra: GSAP will run alongside our normal liquidity operations

12:18 PM

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das speaks to the media on the MPC decision and new measures announced

12:15 PM

Our signals, actions and communication ust be read together, says Guv on RBI Policy

Our signals, actions and communication  ust be read together, says Guv on RBI Policy

12:14 PM

Addressing overall liquidity situation in market to ensure orderly evolution of yield curve, says RBI Guv

Addressing overall liquidity situation in market to ensure orderly evolution of yield curve, says RBI Guv

12:10 PM

RBI Guv: G-Sec acqn programme is in addition to normal instruments in our toolkit for liquidity management

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) today announced a secondary market government security acquisition programme (GSAP 1.0) wherein the central bank will purchase government bonds worth Rs1 trillion from the secondary market in the first quarter of this fiscal. The first purchase of Rs25,000 crore will take place on 15 April.

 

“While laying out the liquidity management strategy for 2021-22, let me unequivocally state that the Reserve Bank’s endeavour is to ensure orderly evolution of the yield curve, governed by fundamentals as distinct from any specific level thereof. Our objective is to eschew volatility in the G-sec market in view of its central role in the pricing of other financial market instruments across the term structure and issuers, both in the public and private sectors," RBI governor Das said on Wednesday while announcing the monetary policy statement first by-monthly monetary policy statement of fiscal 2021-22.

12:07 PM

Sandeep Bagla, CEO, TRUST Mutual Fund on RBI Policy

"Interest rates are likely to remain range bound going forward as RBI is committed to ensure easy liquidity and low repo rates. The increase in Government borrowings are likely to be partially offset by RBI OMOs and secondary market purchases of Government securities. Inclusion of government securities global bond indices will add to the demand. Corporate bond spreads are likely to remain at moderate levels on back of restrained supply and continued demand from institutional investors. Unless inflation expectations start increasing in the future, fixed income investors will do well to remain invested in Indian bonds."

12:06 PM

RBI Monetary Policy LIVE: Shaktikanta Das addresses media

RBI Monetary Policy LIVE: Shaktikanta Das addresses media

11:30 AM

RBI MPC LIVE: Governor Shaktikanta Das to address media at 12 pm

Governor Shaktikanta Das to address media at 12 pm

11:29 AM

RBI commits to OMO calendar, leaves key policy rates and stance unchanged

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday fulfilled a long-standing demand of bond market participants of having an open market operations (OMO) calendar of sorts, through which the central bank would commit its periodic support to the market.

 

As expected, the six-member monetary policy committee kept the policy repo rate and stance unchanged at 4 per cent, and ‘accommodative’, “for as long as necessary”, respectively.

 

Despite the surge in Covid-19 infections, the growth target also remained unchanged at 10.5 per cent for the fiscal, but inflation was tweaked upwards slightly. The CPI inflation is expected to be 5 per cent for Q4FY21, 5.2 per cent in Q1FY22, 5.2 per cent in Q2FY22, 4.4 per cent in Q3FY22 and 5.1 per cent in Q4FY22 with risks broadly balanced. Read on...