-UN News Billions of people are facing the greatest cost of living crisis in a generation due to rising food and energy prices amid rapid inflation and increasing debt, leaving the most vulnerable consumers in a dire situation, said the UN trade and development body, UNCTAD on Tuesday. UNCTAD’s analysis shows that a 10 per cent increase in food prices will trigger a five per cent decrease in the incomes of the...

-Hindustan Times The fuel and energy basket sub-component has a share of 6.84% in the CPI basket. For oil and fats (edible oil) sub-category, this share is 3.56%. A simple calculation using the weighted share of these two sub-components shows that they have been a key driver of headline inflation in the past few months. India’s benchmark inflation rate, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has been above the 6%...

-The Telegraph PM Modi’s Gabbar Singh Tax is the best example of his modus operandi — talk big, and when it’s time to act, make things worse: Congress Traders and shopkeepers will hold a nationwide protest next week against a hike in taxes on a range of products, including food grains and household items, and services that kicked in from Monday. “The 5 per cent goods and services tax on a range of...

-The Telegraph Unlike 2013, the pressure on the rupee will endure This month, the rupee’s weakening trend has occupied our attention. Media reports have relentlessly focused on its fall to a ‘lifetime-low’ on a daily frequency. The authorities, on their part, have centred on measures to ease the mounting pressures up on the currency. Memory of the 2013‘taper tantrum’ is fresh in minds and has spurred a series of actions to prevent...

-The Telegraph The finance ministry has warned that the current account deficit will deteriorate in 2022-23 because of costlier imports and tepid exports on the merchandise account The country’s trade deficit touched an all-time high of $26.18 billion as imports expanded 57.88 per cent to $66.31 billion in June because of a doubling of oil imports and a spike in the inflow of coal, gold, electronic goods and chemicals. The finance ministry has...