Despite smaller rate hike, bond market sees no let-up in RBI tightening

RBI may have moderated rate hike, but vigilant tone suggests defence of rupee

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Deputy Governor Michael Patra on Wednesday said the central bank moderating the size of rate hikes was a fundamental guidance given to the markets. The RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) announced a 35-basis point increase in the repo rate to 6.25 per cent on Wednesday.

Before Wednesday’s move, the previous three rate hikes by the MPC were each of 50 basis points (bps). India’s sovereign bond market, however, seems to believe that a reduced tightening notwithstanding, the central bank’s rate hike cycle has some distance to go.

The 10-year bond yield rose past