MPC Meeting: Reserve Bank leaves interest rates unchanged
New Indian ExpressThe Reserve Bank-led Monetary Policy Committee Friday left the policy rate or the repo rate unchanged at 6.5 percent for the seventh consecutive time, citing rising inflationary pressure in the economy led by spiralling food prices. Accordingly, the marginal standing facility at 6.75 percent and the standing deposit facility rate remain unchanged at 6.25 percent, governor Shaktikanta Das said announcing the first MPC review in the current fiscal. Although the RBI has also forecast the robust growth momentum to continue in FY25, it has retained the last year's real GDP forecast of 7 percent for this fiscal as well, with risks evenly placed. On the sticky issue of prices, Das said given the expectations of normal monsoons, the MPC has forecast the retail price inflation as measured in CPI at 4.5 percent for the full year with Q1 printing in at 4.9 percent, Q2 at 3.8 percent, Q3 at 4.6 percent and final quarter printing in at 4.4 percent with risks evenly factored in.