Economy Watch was launched for public distribution soon after demonetization. Since then more than 90 issues have been published.
It covers various macro-fiscal dimensions of the Indian economy including growth, inflation, government finances, external trade, monetary and financial sectors. It places India in a comparative economic framework using selected developed and developing countries.
Two innovative indices have been developed to capture changes in aggregate demand and macroeconomic imbalances in the Indian economy. The analysis in the Economy Watch is based on monthly, quarterly and annual data sourced from national and international sources.
Every month, a focused theme of contemporary economic importance is identified for a deep and insightful analysis which provides useful inputs and recommendations.
Key highlights for November 2024
- Manufacturing and services PMI recovered to 57.5 and 58.5 respectively in October 2024 from their respective levels of 56.5 and 57.7 in September 2024.
- Led by improved growth across all major sub-industries, IIP growth recovered to 3.1% in September 2024 from a contraction of (-)0.1% in August 2024.
- CPI inflation increased to a 14-month high of 6.2% in October 2024, whereas core CPI inflation remained below 4%, although increasing to a 10-month high of 3.7%.
- WPI inflation remained low at 2.4% in October 2024, although rising from 1.8% in September 2024 led by a surge in inflation in tomatoes.
- As per the CGA, GoI’s GTR showed a growth of 12.0% during April-September FY25 with growth in direct taxes at 13.6% and that in indirect taxes at 8.4%.
- GoI’s total expenditure showed a contraction of (-)0.4% during April-September FY25, with revenue expenditure growing by 4.2% and capital expenditure contracting by (-)15.4%.
- GoI’s fiscal and revenue deficits during April-September FY25 stood at their unprecedented low levels of 29.4% and 12.8% of their respective annual BE.
- Growth in gross bank credit eased to a three-month low of 14.4% in September 2024 from 15.0% in August 2024.
- Growth in merchandise exports picked up to 17.2% in October 2024 from 0.5% in September 2024 reflecting higher year end demand. Merchandise imports growth increased to 3.9% in October 2024 from 1.6% in September 2024 partly due to rising volume of crude imports.
- Merchandise trade deficit widened to US$27.1 billion in October 2024 from US$20.8 billion in September 2024.
- In September 2024, the deficit on account of trade of goods and services fell to a six-month low of US$4.7 billion.
- Net FPI inflows surged to US$9.7 billion in September 2024, its highest level since November 2020. Net FDI witnessed outflows amounting to US$3.1 billion in September 2024.
- Average global crude price increased to US$74/bbl. in October 2024 from US$72.4/bbl. in September 2024, although remaining well below the 1HFY25 average of US$80.7/bbl.
- The IMF projected global growth to ease to 3.2% in 2024, with India’s FY25 growth forecasted at 7%.
- Towards building a Viksit Bharat, we expect general government expenditure to reach 30% of GDP by FY2031, 31.5% by FY2036 and reach 35% by FY2048, driven primarily by an augmented tax-GDP ratio along with downward adjustment in the current fiscal deficit to GDP ratio.