RBI seen pausing on interest rate in 5 Dec policy review
Live MintMumbai: The Reserve Bank of India’s monetary policy committee is likely to keep policy rates on hold on Wednesday, amid falling crude prices, lower-than-expected food prices and moderation in economic growth, according to treasury heads of 10 banks surveyed by Mint. The treasurers were unanimous in their expectations that the repo rate, the rate which RBI lends to commercial banks, will remain unchanged at 6.5%, while it will maintain the policy stance at “calibrated tightening”. However, it had flagged key risks to domestic prices from volatile global financial markets, surging oil prices and possible fiscal slippages in the run-up to elections—five states hold assembly polls before general elections next year. With the government expected to tighten its purse strings in the months ahead to meet its fiscal deficit target, some expect RBI to either cut the cash reserve ratio or relax the statutory liquidity ratio to ease the liquidity situation.