Delhi versus Mumbai: How the interest rate battle is playing out
Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decided in its meeting held last month to keep the policy rate unchanged for the tenth consecutive time. In April last year, the MPC stopped its rate-hike cycle by retaining the key lending rate at 6.5 per cent. The RBI had hiked rates six times in a row before it decided to pause in April last year. The impact of those rate hikes was not believed to have percolated to the ground by then.
As inflation seemed to be coming under control in recent months, expectations about a rate cut grew. Though the RBI changed the stance to 'neutral' from the earlier 'withdrawal of accommodation' unanimously, it retained the key rate at 6.5%. in its last meeting in October due to high inflation. The inflation further touched a 14-month high at 6.2% for October, led by a spike in vegetable prices. It is above the RBI's mandate of 4% with a tolerance band of 2 percentage points on either side. Now, many expect the RBI to cut rates in February next year, instead of earlier expectations of a rate cut in December.
Is Delhi getting impatient?
<div data-placement=«Mid Article Thumbnails» data-target_type=«mix» data-mode=«thumbnails-mid» style=«min-height:400px; margin-bottom:12px;» class=«wdt-taboola» id=«taboola-mid-article-thumbnails-115479781»>Recent comments by top Central government functionaries on rate cut appear to suggest a stark difference of opinion on interest rates with the Mumbai-headquartered RBI. Many might think a Delhi-versus-Mumbai battle on interest rate is brewing, while others would interpret it as just a diversity of opinion.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said that the current bank interest rates are a pain for borrowers and
