The 30-share Sensex of the Bombay Stock Exchange was barely moved by the data and was trading down 0.4% at 17,091.49 points. Also, the partially convertible rupee was almost unchanged at 45.57/58 from beforehand. It had closed at 45.43/44 per dollar on Friday.
However, the 10-year bond yield edged up 1 basis point to 8.02%, matching a 17-month high touched last week. It had closed at 8.01% in the previous session.
Background
India's industrial output in January rose an annual 16.7%, slower than December's 17.61%, and analysts say it could ease further following moves to withdraw stimulus and expectations for a rate rise.
The Reserve Bank is widely expected to increase short-term interest rates at its policy review in April.
In January, the RBI raised its economic growth forecast for 2009-10 to 7.5% from 6% with an upward bias. The national budget on February 26 projected the growth at 7.2%.
The RBI also raised the bank's cash reserve requirements by higher-than-expected 75 basis points in January, but left key lending rates steady.
