BUSINESS
India’s retail inflation eases to a 75-month low of 2.82% in May
May marks the fourth consecutive month that inflation has remained below 4 percent
BUSINESS
Crude edible oil duty cut to bring cheer to Argentina and Russia, along with Indian consumers
As India’s reliance on crude edible oils grows, Russia and Argentina have emerged as key suppliers, displacing traditional Southeast Asian exporters.
BUSINESS
Statistics Ministry exploring 'chain-based' IIP measurement to better-track factory output
The government believes that after an exhaustive Annual Survey of Industries has been put in place, a chain-based index can better capture the changes in India's production patterns.
BUSINESS
More people in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh can use UPI than in Tamil Nadu, Kerala
84% of women can do online banking transactions using UPI compared with 79.9 percent of men, a statistics ministry survey shows
BUSINESS
World Bank retains India’s growth forecast at 6.3% for FY26
The multilateral institution was more optimistic about the coming year, as it projected the economy to grow 6.5 percent in FY26 and 6.7 percent in FY27 on the back of robust services activity leading to higher exports
BUSINESS
Government mulling faster revisions to inflation index
The most recent the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey, which provides data to calculate CPI, was conducted in 2023–24 and its findings are expected to shape the new inflation series to be released this quarter
BUSINESS
Back to the grind: Workers in Andhra Pradesh were clocking 10-hour days before pandemic too
In 2023–24, workers in Andhra Pradesh logged 47.4 hours a week against 46.5 in Tamil Nadu, 45.6 in Kerala, and 47.1 in Karnataka
BUSINESS
New CPI series to calculate electricity inflation based on total bill value; housing to exclude employer provided accommodations
The change is expected to improve the accuracy and robustness of CPI estimates, particularly in light of the increasing complexity of electricity billing structures across states
BUSINESS
Cash transfers to women may cost Bihar 2.6% of GSDP, could double under Maharashtra model
A Moneycontrol analysis shows that even under the most conservative assumptions, providing Rs 2,500 per month to women could cost the state Rs 28,326 crore annually—slightly less than Bihar’s budgeted fiscal deficit for FY26.
BUSINESS
New CPI series to track online shopping in 12 cities; weights to be finalised within two months
The new index, replacing the decade-old inflation measure, is expected to launch in Q1 FY26
BUSINESS
Centre plans AI-powered district-level business register to gauge sentiment surveys
The Statistical Business Register (SBR) will likely serve as a comprehensive database of enterprises operating at the district, state, and national levels, and will be the backbone to develop an Integrated Official Business Statistics system.
BUSINESS
Copper, gold and cotton buck the trend as US imports fall sharply in April
United States' copper imports surged 64 percent, up from $1.3 billion in March to $2.1 billion in April
BUSINESS
RBI policy a non-event for GDP but inflation forecast sees movement
The RBI’s 3.7 percent inflation forecast is in line with the median estimate from 14 economists surveyed in a Moneycontrol poll conducted ahead of the policy announcement and release of GDP numbers
BUSINESS
US trade deficit at $61.6 billion in April, drops 56% from March; down 18% with India
The trade deficit stood at $138.3 billion in the previous month
BUSINESS
Environment spending from corporates up 38% from pre-Covid period; govt expenditure rises 24%
In the two years following the pandemic, FY22 and FY23, India’s corporates spent Rs 5,347 crore compared with Rs 2,841 crore spent in the two years prior to the pandemic—FY19 and FY20
BUSINESS
Rising heatwave days push last year’s annual mean temperature to a 24-year high
The annual mean temperature climbed to 25.74°, up from 25.47° in the previous year, and were nearly a full degree higher than it was a decade ago.
BUSINESS
Natural disasters claim over 3,000 lives in India in 2024–25, highest in 11 years
Damage to homes and livelihoods escalated sharply in 2024–25, with 361,124 houses damaged due to natural disasters—up from 140,384 the previous year.
BUSINESS
Air travel between non-metro cities may fly past traffic of eight metros this year
While the eight metro cities - Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Pune, and Ahmedabad - accounted for 58.7 percent of total domestic passenger traffic in FY19, their share declined to 51.1 percent in FY25.
BUSINESS
India’s business activity slows a bit in May
The HSBC Business Activity Index declined marginally to 59.3 in May from 59.7 in the previous month, mirroring a wider trend as Australia and Japan also slip
BUSINESS
Services activity rises to a 3-month high of 58.8 in May
The performance of services contrasts with the manufacturing sector, which dipped to a three-month low of 57.6 for the month
BUSINESS
OECD lowers India’s FY26 growth forecast to 6.3% as tariffs dent global economy
On the inflation front, OECD was more optimistic projecting 4.1 percent inflation in FY26 and 4 percent the following year
BUSINESS
Sri Lanka, Brazil, Thailand and Vietnam to be hit harder than India by US metal tariffs
India ranked as the eighth-largest exporter of steel, iron, and aluminium products to the US, with total exports valued at $4.2 billion heading to America, while Sri Lanka, Brazil, Thailand and Vietnam have a greater share direct exports.
INDIA
Covid is here to stay; no need to panic but take precautions, says PHFI’s Dr K Srinath Reddy
Hybrid immunity, through vaccines and exposure to the virus, is likely to protect people but they still need to follow Covid appropriate behaviour, says the health expert
BUSINESS
Statistics ministry mulls survey of standalone common property resources after a 26-year gap
The last detailed study on common property resources was carried out in 1998-99. CPR surveys were started in the 1980s.
