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Auto stocks mixed after RBI keeps policy rates unchanged

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Last Updated : Dec 08 2016 | 12:01 AM IST

Eight auto shares were trading mixed at 15:10 IST on BSE after the Reserve Bank of India kept policy rate unchanged today, 7 December 2016.

The monetary policy was announced by the RBI at 14:30 IST today, 7 December 2016.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 101.41 points or 0.38% at 26,291.35.

Ashok Leyland (down 1.73%), Maruti Suzuki India (down 0.86%), and Bajaj Auto (down 0.92%) declined. Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) (up 0.81%), Eicher Motors (up 2.91%), Hero MotoCorp (up 0.51%), Tata Motors (up 0.43%) and TVS Motor Company (up 0.18%) gained.

Purchases of automobiles, including that of cars, utility vehicles and commercial vehicles are substantially driven by financing.

On the basis of an assessment of the current and evolving macroeconomic situation at its meeting today, 7 December 2016, the monetary policy committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decided to keep the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) unchanged at 6.25%.

Consequently, the reverse repo rate under the LAF remains unchanged at 5.75%, and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the bank rate at 6.75%. The decision of the MPC is consistent with an accommodative stance of monetary policy in consonance with the objective of achieving consumer price index (CPI) inflation at 5% by Q4 March 2017 and the medium-term target of 4% within a band of +/- 2%, while supporting growth.

In the view of the committee, this bi-monthly review is set against the backdrop of heightened uncertainty. Globally, the imminent tightening of monetary policy in the US is triggering bouts of high volatility in financial markets, with the possibility of large spillovers that could have macroeconomic implications for EMEs.

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In India, while supply disruptions in the backwash of currency replacement may drag down growth this year, it is important to analyse more information and experience before judging their full effects and their persistence - short-term developments that influence the outlook disproportionately warrant caution with respect to setting the monetary policy stance. If the impact is transient as widely expected, growth should rebound strongly.

Turning to inflation, food prices other than vegetables are exhibiting sustained firmness and a pick-up in momentum. Another disconcerting feature of recent developments is the downward inflexibility in inflation excluding food and fuel which could set a resistance level for future downward movements in the headline. Moreover, volatility in crude prices and the surge in financial market turbulence could put the inflation target for Q4 of 2016-17 at some risk.

Given these indicators of underlying inflation, it is appropriate to look through the transitory but unclear effects of the withdrawal of SBNs while setting the monetary policy stance. On balance, therefore, it is prudent to wait and watch how these factors play out and impinge upon the outlook. Accordingly, the policy repo rate has been kept on hold in this review, while retaining an accommodative policy stance, RBI said

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First Published: Dec 07 2016 | 2:57 PM IST

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