Against Street expectations, RBI keeps repo rate unchanged at 6.50 per cent

NEW DELHI: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) maintained a establishment and saved the repo rate unchanged at 6.50 consistent with cent, following its October financial policy meet.

The RBI however modified its stance from 'impartial' to 'calibrated tightening', revising its retail inflation projection at the upside. "The changed stance indicates that in the current rate cycle RBI has only two options- hike rates in the next policy meeting or keep it unchanged. A neutral stance indicated a chance of rate cut too," RBI governor Urjit Patel stated.

Not focused on any explicit rupee stage, says RBI

"The RBI's response to these unsettled conditions has been to ensure the foreign exchange market remains liquid with no undue volatility," the central financial institution's governor, Urjit Patel, stated after financial policy assembly.

The repo rate + is the velocity at which the RBI lends short-term money to the banks.

Reverse repo rate -- the velocity at which the RBI borrows money from industrial banks -- too has been saved the same as the current rate of 6.25 consistent with cent.

"The decision of the MPC is consistent with the stance of calibrated tightening of monetary policy in consonance with the objective of achieving the medium-term target for consumer price index (CPI) inflation of 4 per cent within a band of +/- 2 per cent, while supporting growth," RBI stated in a statement.

The central financial institution's move came towards the Street expectancies as most of the experts had predicted a 25 basis issues (bps) rate hike due to a weakening rupee and inflationary drive due to high crude oil costs.

Rupee @73: RBI more likely to flip hawkish to stem the slide

Amid the rout in rupee, the RBI starts its three- day assembly on bi-monthly financial policy on Wednesday. The Street is expecting from the central financial institution a third back-to-back repo rate hike as inflation is expected to accelerate additional due to upper crude costs and the weak spot in rupee.

Despite keeping up the lending charges at present ranges, RBI flagged a couple of risk components. "Global headwinds in the form of escalating trade tensions, volatile and rising oil prices, and tightening of global financial conditions pose substantial risks to the growth and inflation outlook," the RBI stated in its policy statement, adding that is was vital "to further strengthen domestic macroeconomic fundamentals."

Read additionally: Repo rate: Tracking the trade all through UPA and NDA regime

RBI retained the gross domestic product (GDP) expansion rate estimate at 7.4 consistent with cent for this fiscal 12 months and stated it's going to to move as much as 7.6 consistent with cent within the next monetary 12 months.

Meanwhile the rupee plunged to a new low of 74.15 towards US dollar in Friday's mid-day trading.