Rise in US bond yields going to be a headwind for EMs: Sonal Desai

Rise in US bond yields going to be a headwind for EMs: Sonal Desai

The US 10-year bond yields could cross 5% once again if the US government’s fiscal deficit widens further, said Sonal Desai, chief investment officer of Franklin Templeton Fixed Income. In an interview with Nishanth Vasudevan, Desai, who oversees $211 billion of assets under management globally, spoke about what’s in store in 2025, US bond yields, … Read more

Sovereign Gold Bonds: RBI fixes final redemption price at Rs 6,938 for SGB August 2016 issue

Sovereign Gold Bonds: RBI fixes final redemption price at Rs 6,938 for SGB August 2016 issue

The Reserve Bank of India has announced the final redemption price for Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGBs) issued on August 5, 2016. The central bank has fixed the final redemption price at Rs 6,938 per gram, which is 122 percent higher than the issued price. The gold bonds were issued at a price of Rs 3,119 … Read more

Govt likely to stick to fiscal consolidation path, focus on rural economy: Santanu Sengupta, Goldman Sachs

Govt likely to stick to fiscal consolidation path, focus on rural economy: Santanu Sengupta, Goldman Sachs

Santanu Sengupta, Chief India Economist, Goldman Sachs, says India’s public debt to GDP at 80% plus is one of the highest among EMs. So though India has had high growth, over a period of time. that debt to GDP number needs to consolidate below 80% and probably get closer to 75%. That is why the … Read more

Raging bulls of India: D-Street dances to RBI record

Raging bulls of India: D-Street dances to RBI record

Mumbai: India‘s benchmark indices soared to fresh all-time highs on Thursday as the Reserve Bank of India‘s larger-than-expected dividend payment to the government prompted traders to cover some of their bearish bets. Receding uncertainty over the BJP’s performance in the general elections also bolstered sentiment, with the NSE Nifty ending a whisker away from 23,000. … Read more

India’s FY24 fiscal gap may be slightly better than revised estimates: Official

India’s FY24 fiscal gap may be slightly better than revised estimates: Official

New Delhi: The central government’s fiscal deficit, in absolute terms, could be slightly better than the revised estimates for FY24, on the back of better than expected revenue receipts, an official said. In the interim Budget in February, the government pegged its FY24 fiscal deficit at ₹17.35 lakh crore, against the budget estimate of ₹17.89 … Read more

View: India has made it to the launchpad. It still needs a spark

View: India has made it to the launchpad. It still needs a spark

As India prepares for elections this spring, confidence about the country’s prospects seems ubiquitous. The country has just finalized a new trade agreement; it’s with a small trading bloc composed of Norway, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Iceland, but the headline number for new foreign investment it commits to bringing in, $100 billion, is nevertheless eye-catching. The … Read more

Softer growth in central & state capex seen; construction to support rural incomes next couple of years: Pranjul Bhandari, HSBC

Softer growth in central & state capex seen; construction to support rural incomes next couple of years:  Pranjul Bhandari, HSBC

Pranjul Bhandari, Managing Director, Chief India Economist, Asean Economist, HSBC, says “the construction-led activity has given an alternate source of income to rural India. And all of these things come in cycles. I think we are on the upward side of a new financial cycle and things like credit growth, housing prices, construction activity all … Read more

Interim budget: Govt likely to give populist spending a pass ahead of general election

Interim budget: Govt likely to give populist spending a pass ahead of general election

New Delhi: The government is likely to stay on the fiscal course-correction glide path in the interim budget for FY25, shunning populist spending or incentives ahead of the summer general election, said people aware of deliberations on the subject. The post-Covid-19 fiscal consolidation roadmap proposed by the government estimates the fiscal deficit at 4.5% of … Read more

Populist expenditure may not hit govt’s fiscal deficit targets: Goldman Sach

Populist expenditure may not hit govt’s fiscal deficit targets: Goldman Sach

Mumbai: Populism during elections invariably dents government finances, but this time around it may not be the same, thanks to strong federal revenues and a liberal dividend payment by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Goldman Sachs said. There could be some expenditure cuts as well. It is likely that a cut in public capital … Read more

Centre confident of meeting FY23 fiscal gap target of 6.4%

Centre confident of meeting FY23 fiscal gap target of 6.4%

New Delhi: The Centre is expected to achieve the FY23 fiscal deficit target of 6.4% of gross domestic product (GDP) despite a downward revision in national income from the budgeted levels, said a person aware of the details. The actual FY23 fiscal deficit, in absolute terms, will likely be slightly lower than the revised estimate … Read more