World Bank to lend $ 3 billion to India

The World Bank has agreed to help India with $3 billion of increased investment as the global financial crisis undermines private
financing for the country's much-needed infrastructure agenda, the bank announced on Thursday.

"Part of the additional financing include a line of credit to the India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL) to help finance private-public partnerships in infrastructure; funding for the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) to provide credit to small and medium enterprises, and assistance to PowerGrid to expand its transmission network," the World Bank said in a written statement.

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The development institution has provisioned this additional amount as part of the total financing envelope of $14 billion proposed in the India Country Strategy over 2009-2011.

India had requested an additional $5.6 billion over the next two years. Having provisioned the $3 billion, the World Bank said it would need to examine the balance $2.6 billion and work with the Indian government over the coming weeks to clarify details.

The strategy, which is geared to help India propel infrastructure development, support the country's seven poorest states, and respond to the financial crisis, was discussed by the World Bank board last week in Washington DC.

"Other areas which could receive support from additional financing include the National Housing Bank and the recapitalisation of state banks, the details of which are yet to be discussed with the government of India," the statement said.

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The statement said that India was the largest borrower from the World Bank's International Development Association (IDA) and second largest borrower from its International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) in fiscal 2008.

The World Bank's $15.1 billion-portfolio in the country covers 61 active investment projects.

In the current financial year, the World Bank's oard approved $2.7 billion in funding for nine new projects for India spanning a range of sectors including infrastructure, education, health and rural development. Of this, $1.3 billion came from IBRD and $1.4 billion came as interest-free credits from IDA.

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Economies | Countries hit by recession 2008

1. Denmark - Denmark becomes the first European economy to confirm it is in recession since the global credit crunch began. Its GDP shrinks 0.6 percent in the first quarter after an 0.2 percent contraction in the fourth quarter of 2007.

2. ESTONIA - The Baltic state slides into recession with a 0.9 percent fall in second-quarter GDP after a drop of 0.5 percent in the first quarter.

3. LATVIA - Latvia joins its northern neighbor Estonia in recession as GDP falls 0.2 percent in the second quarter from the first quarter, when it fell 0.3 percent. Property markets and construction have suffered in both Baltic states.

4. IRELAND - The "Celtic Tiger" becomes the first country in the euro zone to slide into recession, with a 0.5 percent fall in second quarter GDP, following a 0.3 percent decline in the first quarter. Its last recession in 1983 saw thousands of people leave Ireland to seek work overseas.

5. NEW ZEALAND - New Zealand falls into a recession for the first time in more than a decade, with a 0.2 percent fall in seasonally adjusted GDP for the second quarter. First-quarter GDP dropped 0.3 percent.

6. SINGAPORE - First Asian country to slip into a recession since the credit crisis began. Singapore's export-dependent economy shrinks annualized rate of 6.8 percent in the third quarter after a 6.0 percent contraction in the second quarter, its first recession since 2002.

7. GERMANY - Europe's largest economy contracted by 0.5 percent in the third quarter after GDP fell 0.4 percent in the second quarter, putting it in recession for the first time in five years.

8. HONG KONG - Hong Kong becomes the second Asian economy to tip into recession, it's exports hit by weakening global demand. Third-quarter GDP drops a seasonally adjusted 0.5 percent after a 1.4 percent fall in the previous quarter.

9. ITALY - Italy plunges into recession, its first since the start of 2005, after GDP contracts a steeper-than-expected 0.5 percent in the third quarter. Second quarter GDP dropped 0.3 percent.

10. EURO COUNTRIES - The 15-country euro zone officially slips under, pushed down by recessions in Germany and Italy for its first recession since its creation in 1999.

11. JAPAN - World's second largest economy also went into recession due to dwindling sales in USA

12. SWEDEN - The Nordic nation announces it is in recession after GDP shrinks 0.1 percent in both the second and third quarters.

14. RUSSIA - Russia has also declared that it's economy is already into recession

13. USA - United States of America is already into recession from december 2007 , what looked like just mortagage crises broadened and engulfed all the above economies into it and still is in growing phase and will continue for another year 2009 for sure.

RBI - Finances to deteriorate further

With the government coming out with financial incentives for the industry, the Reserve Bank has said central finances will further deteriorate during the second-half of the year on account of the impact of financial turmoil on the Indian economy.

"While expenditure is slated to increase in the coming months, growth of tax revenue is likely to decelerate with the expected moderation in real economic activities following the global financial meltdown," RBI said in its monthly bulletin.

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"Finances in the first-half indicate deterioration in all key deficit indicators, both in the absolute term as well as per centage of GDP," it said, adding the "pressure" on deficit indicators would continue during the remaining part of 2008-09.

The government has come out with a fiscal stimulus package of over Rs 30,000 crore which will have an adverse bearing on central finances. This will be an addition to over Rs 1 lakh crore the government has sought during the first batch of supplementary demands for grants raising the government expenditures.

With the industrial production as well as exports recording a negative growth of 0.4 per cent and 12.1 per cent respectively in October, the government may come out with the second stimulus package increasing further pressure on finances.

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Referring to the performance of the first half, the RBI report said, "As per cent of the Budget estimates, both revenue deficits and fiscal deficits were higher mainly due to rise in revenue expenditure, both non-plan and plan."

RBI has already indicated that it would review the economic growth estimate at its quarterly monetary policy to be announced on January 27.

posted under - dwindling indian economy, economy of india, indian economy updates, indian finance updates, RBI updates, recession updates

with extracts from www.economictimes.com

Threat of Deflation rises for the world

Developing countries, including China and India, are showing signs of economic cooling on account of the cascading effect of the globaldownturn.

India's industrial growth unexpectedly turning negative in October, shrinking by 0.4 percent after expanding by 12.2 per cent in the same month a year earlier, hint at the worsening conditions for the economy.

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Given the deepening global recession, the threat of deflationary spiral is mounting which may fix the global economy in similar lines of the great depression in 1930s. Even as analysts and economists feel that the governments have managed to rescue the global economy from a deflationary spiral by extending deposit guarantees and recapitalizing banks who suffered losses, attempts to artificially reducing interest rates to support prices are extremely ephemeral measures.

"They may appeal as a quick fix, defending banks from further losses. Artificially supporting prices removes the stimulatory effect that lower prices have on new investment. Instead of a V-shaped bottom followed by a speedy recovery, you may end up with an L-shaped depression," said Bred Jonathan, consulting partner at Kreg and Bordan Economic Advisory.

We often hear economists or analysts refer to the threat of deflation. Deflation is a natural function of the market to correct excesses from a boom. The boom normally ends when the central bank stops new money creation, which was used to synthetically stimulate the economy.

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Source www.economictimes.com - read full article

published under - deflation in world economy, deflation threat, economy of india, global recession updates, indian economy updates, world economy updates

india's economy growth to be among strongest

India's economic growth would be one of the strongest in the world despite the the global meltdown, RBI Deputy Governor Usha Thorat said on Thursday. "Although the International Monetary Fund(IMF) had scaled down growth forecasts of nations, India's growth would be one of the strongest in the world," Thorat said at an interactive session organised by ICC here.

She said that the although incremental growth rate would be lower, the actual growth this fiscal which India would achieve would be nothing to scoff at.

"India had recorded a growth of three per cent for many years. It is only for the last few years the rate had touched nine per cent," she said.

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deflation in world economy, deflation threat, economy of india, global recession updates, indian economy updates, world economy updates

On foreign exchange volatility, she said that India's exchange rate policy had served well and ruled out going back to the fixed exchange rate regime.

She said that the cost of funds would come down, but it would take some time. "It all depends on the inflationary expectations of the bankers."


published under - Indian economy, economy of india, indian economy updates, Indian rupee updates, economy india

Indian Foreign trade policy to continue as same

The five-year foreign trade policy that lays ground rules along with incentives and disincentives for conducting imports and exports has been extended beyond March 2009 to enable the new government to give its policy direction to the country's external engagement.

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The Foreign Trade Policy (FTP), which was unveiled by the UPA government on September 2004, was to expire on March 31, 2009. India's foreign trade has seen a sharp growth in the last five years. Exports during 2007-08 grew by 22.9 per cent from 126 billion dollars in the previous fiscal, while Imports went up from 185.7 billion dollar in 2006-07 to 235.7 billion in the last fiscal.

Indian Economy Updates for december 2008

Indian economy consistes of various sectors including finance sector, Agricultural sector, Policy sector(includes government policy updates), Foreign trade sector, Infrastructure updates. So i have tried to put all of the sectors together under particular date of the month of December in this post.

Following are the main economic updates for indian economy:
(click on the link to read full story)

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December 2008 India Economic Updates :

Govt plans Rs 350-cr export package
PC, PM’s panel favour more interest rate cuts
Vaghela seeks sops for textile industry
Sharad Yadav meets PM, seeks Rs 14,800 crore package for Bihar
Bill to raise capital of LIC to Rs 100 crore introduced in LS
Rise in donations abroad raises fresh questions
Swinging Re adds to woes of slowdown-hit exporters
GCC suspends EU free-trade talks
Textiles exports may fall short of target
Tatas, GMR, L&T in race for 60 NHDP projects
Reliance Infra bags Haryana road projects
Farmers fancy blue berries, to grow fruit here
Foreign trade policy to continue beyond March 2009
WTO chief postpones meeting on global trade deal
Govt approves 21 road projects: Finance Ministry

December 8, 2008 India Economic updates :

Infra cos say more funds needed to boost growth
RBI may further cut repo rate by 150 bps: Goldman
Power gear bidding must be wired to global tenders
Govt announces package including tax cuts to boost economy
RBI rate cuts unlikely to stem slowdown - Citi
Govt's stimulus may not be effective: JPMorgan
Fiscal package positive for market sentiment
WTO releases revised blueprints for Doha free trade talks
Oct tea exports fall 5 pc as demand dips
Rs 2,000-cr boost fails to cheer exporters
Infra cos say more funds needed to boost growth
Proposals to set up industrial units worth Rs 90,480 crore
NHDP's road stretches likely to be built on annuity model
Agricultural scientist stresses need for food security
Govt weighs sops for cotton sector
Spending on agriculture up 80 percent: Government


For knowing previous month's Indian economic updates (click here)

RBI cuts repo rate by 100 bps

The Reserve Bank of India on Saturday cut the repo rate - the rate at which RBI lends to banks - by 100 basis points to 6.5 per cent from 7.5 per cent and reverse repo - the rate at which banks park excess funds with RBI - by 100 basis points to 5 per cent from 6 per cent, effective from December 8.

However it has kept cash reserve ration (CRR) - the proportion of deposits banks must keep with the central bank - unchanged at 5.5 per cent. The 6.5 per cent repo rate is the lowest rate in 2-1/2 years, while the 5 per cent reverse repo rate is its lowest in more than three years.

The RBI has taken the steps to boost growth and shore up investor confidence amid signs of economic slowdown and in the wake of deadly attacks in Mumbai.

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"Industrial activity, particularly in the manufacturing and infrastructure sectors, is decelerating," RBI Governor Duvvuri Subbarao told a news conference.

Subbarao said the central bank would closely monitor developments in global and domestic financial markets and would take swift and effective action as appropriate.

"The Reserve Bank's policy endeavour will be to minimise the negative impact of the crisis and to ensure an orderly adjustment," he said.

Saturday's decision was the first change in the reverse repo rate since July 2006.

The cash reserve ratio, the proportion of deposits banks must keep with the central bank, was left unchanged at 5.5 per cent.

Expectations of rate reductions have mounted ever since last week's attacks in Mumbai in which gunmen brought the business district to a standstill as they holed up in two luxury hotels and a Jewish centre, killing 171 people.

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The benchmark 10-year bond yield fell 8 basis points to 6.76 per cent on Friday ahead of the central bank's decision, which had been well flagged by government officials, and the rupee gained against the dollar.

The government is also expected to announce fiscal measures to give impetus to the economy, which data show may be decelerating more rapidly than anticipated from an annual rate of 9 per cent in the fiscal year which ended last March.

Fiscal deficit set to sharply deteriorate from now on

India’s budget deficit for April-September 2008 may not compare very badly with the same period a year ago, but it threatens to deteriorate in the months ahead as the government may have to step up spending to stimulate the economy even while tax revenue growth is slackening amid slowing corporate activity.

The fiscal deficit for the six months to September 2008 was an estimated 4.1% of the nominal GDP compared to 3.8% at the end of the same period last year. Likewise, revenue deficit for the same period was 3.1% at the end of first half of the current fiscal compared to 2.9%, a year ago. These numbers will likely worsen as the arrears of the Sixth Pay Commission awards due to be paid this year are fully disbursed.

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Already, data made public by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) on November 28 point to further deterioration of the fiscal position. The fiscal deficit for the seven months to October was higher by 42% compared to a year ago, while it was only 26% higher at the end of September.
read full post (click here)