Rate cut chances grow dim as inflation rises to 14-month high

Retail inflation breached the Reserve Bank's upper tolerance level, soaring to a 14-month high of 6.21 per cent in October mainly on account of rising food prices.

India's industrial production expanded by 3.1 per cent in September after recording a contraction in the preceding month, as all three major segments -- mining, manufacturing and power generation -- showed improvement.

Inflation based on the consumer price index (CPI) was 5.49 per cent in September and 4.87 per cent in the year-ago month.

Retail inflation trended below the RBI's upper tolerance band of 6 per cent since September last year. It was at 6.83 per cent in August 2023.

The RBI, which mainly factors in the CPI while arriving at its bi-monthly monetary policy, has been tasked by the government to ensure retail inflation remains at 4 per cent with a margin of 2 per cent on either side.

According to the data released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) on Tuesday, inflation in the food basket increased to 10.87 per cent in October, compared to 9.24 per cent in September and 6.61 per cent in October 2023.