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New Zealand's central bank surprised economists on Wednesday by imposing an aggressive half-point rate rise to bring its benchmark interest rate to 5.25%. It was the Reserve Bank of New Zealand's 11th straight rate hike as it tries to cool inflation, which is running at 7.2%, far above the bank's target level of around 2%. It brings the key rate to its highest level since the Global Financial Crisis in 2008. New Zealand's benchmark rate is now among the highest in the developed world, and the bank's aggressive action stood in contrast to Australia's central bank, which on Tuesday decided to pause its round of rate hikes and leave its benchmark rate at 3.6%. Most economists had expected the Reserve Bank of New Zealand to impose a more modest quarter-point rise after the nation's economy contracted in the December quarter and a destructive cyclone hit in February, killing 11 people and causing billions of dollars in damage to homes and infrastructure. The currency rose on the ...
Equity markets' focus will shift to the RBI interest rate decision scheduled this week, with investors also tracking the ongoing third quarter earnings, global trends and foreign fund trading activity, for further cues, analysts said. Brent crude oil prices and rupee-dollar movement would also drive the trends in the market. "The direction of the US market will be closely watched, but the flow of FIIs will be crucial because they have been selling heavily in the Indian market since the beginning of 2023, and it has intensified following the Adani Group crisis. "This week will see the release of Q3 earnings from companies such as Bharti Airtel, Hero MotoCorp, Hindalco and Mahindra & Mahindra as well as macroeconomic data from the United States. RBI policy, whose outcome is scheduled for February 8, will be a critical domestic event," said Pravesh Gour, Senior Technical Analyst, Swastika Investmart Ltd. Adani Group stocks have taken a beating on the bourses after the US-based ...