Reserve Bank of India's Mid-Quarter Monetary Policy Review

15 Mar '12

3 min read

Reserve Bank of India has announced Mid-Quarter Monetary Policy Review.

Monetary and Liquidity Measures

1. On the basis of the current macroeconomic assessment, it has been decided to:

• keep the cash reserve ratio (CRR) of scheduled banks unchanged at 4.75 per cent of their net demand and time liabilities; and

• keep the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) unchanged at 8.5 per cent.

Consequently, the reverse repo rate under the LAF will remain unchanged at 7.5 per cent, and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate at 9.5 per cent.

Introduction

2. The Reserve Bank reduced the CRR by 75 basis points from 5.5 per cent to 4.75 per cent effective March 10, 2012. This measure was necessitated ahead of this scheduled Mid-Quarter Review to address the persistent structural liquidity deficit beyond the Reserve Bank's comfort level, which would have further worsened during the week of March 12-16 due to advance tax outflows.

Global Economy

3. Since the Reserve Bank's Third Quarter Review (TQR) of January 24, 2012, there has been modest improvement in the global macroeconomic situation. The recent macroeconomic data for the US economy show some positive signs. In particular, labour market conditions have improved. However, the US Fed expects that economic conditions warrant exceptionally low levels for the federal funds rate at least through late 2014.

4. The immediate financial market pressures in the euro area have been alleviated to some extent by the European Central Bank (ECB) injecting liquidity of more than one trillion euro through the two long-term refinancing operations. Growth in the euro area, however, turned negative in Q4. The emerging and developing economies (EDEs) are showing signs of growth slowdown. As a result, the global growth for 2012 and 2013 is expected to be lower than earlier anticipated.

5. Inflation pressures in both advanced economies and EDEs moderated towards the end of 2011 on account of subdued domestic demand and correction in non-fuel commodity prices. Global crude prices, however, have spiked suddenly reflecting both geo-political concerns and abundant global liquidity, accentuating the risks to growth and inflation.

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Outlook

While the recovery in the US has been progressing, economic activity in the euro area has contracted. Although abundant liquidity injection by the ECB has mitigated the immediate pressures in financial markets, a credible solution to the sovereign debt problem is yet to emerge. Sluggish global economic activity, uncertainty in the euro area and rising crude oil prices will hamper growth prospects of EDEs.

On the domestic front, while most indicators suggest that the economy is slowing down, the performance in Q4 of 2011-12 is expected to be better than that in Q3. Inflation hasbroadly evolved along the projected trajectory so far. However, upside risks to inflation have increased from the recent surge in crude oil prices, fiscal slippage and rupee depreciation. Besides, there continues to be significant suppressed inflation in fuel, fertilizer and power as administered prices do not fully reflect the costs of production.

Guidance

Recent growth-inflation dynamics have prompted the Reserve Bank to indicate that no further tightening is required and that future actions will be towards lowering the rates. However, notwithstanding the deceleration in growth, inflation risks remain, which will influence both the timing and magnitude of future rate actions.

Reserve Bank of India

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