India inflation likely held steady at five-year low of 3.50% in August
Repeats poll first published on Sept 9, with no changes to text
reuters://realtime/verb=Open/url=cpurl%3A%2F%2Fapps.cp.%2FApps%2Fecon-polls%3FRIC%3DINCPIY%253DECI poll data
By Vivek Mishra
BENGALURU, Sept 9 (Reuters) -Indian consumer inflation probably held below the Reserve Bank of India's 4.0% medium-term target for a second month in August thanks to a moderation in food price rises due to last year's high base, a Reuters poll of economists found.
Although food prices, which make up nearly half the inflation basket, have eased significantly in the last two months, erratic monsoon rains across India could harm crop yields and push prices higher in coming months.
The Sept. 4-9 poll of 53 economists forecast consumer price inflation at 3.50% in August from a year earlier, little changed from a five-year low of 3.54% in July. Forecasts for the data, due on Sept. 12 at 1200 GMT, ranged from 3.10% to 4.91%.
"A high base effect likely continues to play cupid... On-the-ground food prices have seen a salutary effect from a recovery in the monsoon in recent weeks... even as key agricultural states are still reeling under deficit," said Kanika Pasricha, chief economic advisor at Union Bank of India.
"We expect the base effect to erode from September onwards. Risks to food inflation from weather-related issues such as sharply higher than required rains in September need a close watch."
Vegetable price rises eased to 6.83% year-on-year in July, a significant drop from the nearly 30% y/y increases seen each month during the first half of the year, official data showed last month.
While the expected slowdown in overall price rises may provide some relief to policymakers at the RBI, economists said the recent moderation was likely temporary as a weak rupee will keep inflation elevated in the near term.
A separate Reuters poll showed inflation averaging 4.2% this quarter, with an increase to 4.5%-4.7% in coming quarters, above the central bank's 4% target.
This suggests the RBI will likely proceed cautiously with easing monetary policy. The first rate cut had been expected next quarter and most economists forecast it in December.
"It is likely CPI inflation will undershoot the RBI's 4.4% projection for Q3 2024, posing downside risks to their full-year forecast as well. The RBI will view this favourably and is likely to warm up to rate cuts by December," said Dhiraj Nim, economist at ANZ.
Core inflation, which excludes volatile items such as food and energy, was forecast to be 3.30% in August, according to the median estimate from a smaller sample of 15 economists.
The Indian statistics agency does not publish core inflation data.
Wholesale price index-based inflation likely eased to an annual 1.85% last month, from 2.04% in July, the survey showed.
Reporting by Vivek Mishra; Polling by Veronica Khongwir and Anant Chandak; Editing by Jonathan Cable and Gareth Jones
Dernières actualités
Avertissement : Les entités de XM Group proposent à notre plateforme de trading en ligne un service d'exécution uniquement, autorisant une personne à consulter et/ou à utiliser le contenu disponible sur ou via le site internet, qui n'a pas pour but de modifier ou d'élargir cette situation. De tels accès et utilisation sont toujours soumis aux : (i) Conditions générales ; (ii) Avertissements sur les risques et (iii) Avertissement complet. Un tel contenu n'est par conséquent fourni que pour information générale. En particulier, sachez que les contenus de notre plateforme de trading en ligne ne sont ni une sollicitation ni une offre de participation à toute transaction sur les marchés financiers. Le trading sur les marchés financiers implique un niveau significatif de risques pour votre capital.
Tout le matériel publié dans notre Centre de trading en ligne est destiné à des fins de formation / d'information uniquement et ne contient pas – et ne doit pas être considéré comme contenant – des conseils et recommandations en matière de finance, de fiscalité des investissements ou de trading, ou un enregistrement de nos prix de trading ou une offre, une sollicitation, une transaction à propos de tout instrument financier ou bien des promotions financières non sollicitées à votre égard.
Tout contenu tiers, de même que le contenu préparé par XM, tels que les opinions, actualités, études, analyses, prix, autres informations ou liens vers des sites tiers contenus sur ce site internet sont fournis "tels quels", comme commentaires généraux sur le marché et ne constituent pas des conseils en investissement. Dans la mesure où tout contenu est considéré comme de la recherche en investissement, vous devez noter et accepter que le contenu n'a pas été conçu ni préparé conformément aux exigences légales visant à promouvoir l'indépendance de la recherche en investissement et, en tant que tel, il serait considéré comme une communication marketing selon les lois et réglementations applicables. Veuillez vous assurer que vous avez lu et compris notre Avis sur la recherche en investissement non indépendante et notre avertissement sur les risques concernant les informations susdites, qui peuvent consultés ici.