From retail inflation breaching the Reserve Bank of India's medium-term target and India's export markets undergoing a shift amid war-led trade disruptions, to broad-based growth in the services sector, urban Indians adopting artificial intelligence but cautiously, and Spain returning to the Fifa World Cup final after 16 years with two of the youngest players ever to feature in the title clash—here are this week's news in numbers.
Kitchen cost
Retail inflation rose to 4.4% in June, breaching RBI's medium-term target of 4% for the first time since January 2025, data released by the statistics ministry on Monday showed. The increase was driven by higher food and fuel prices. Food inflation surged to 5.3%, up from 4.8% even before the impact of El Niño began. Many food items have seen a sharp surge in inflation since January 2026. Ginger recorded the sharpest rise, from -0.3% in January 2026 to 50.4% in June 2026. Garlic also saw deflation fading completely, from -53% at the beginning of the year to 17.9% in the last month. Similar reversals were seen across several other food items. Inflation is expected to remain elevated as food prices continue to face weather-related risks, while renewed tensions in West Asia could add further pressure to fuel prices.
Export rejig
Indian exports have seen sizeable shifts in the past three months, reflecting the impact of the West Asia war and uncertainty of trade with the US. Exports to the United Arab Emirates declined 12% in April-June, while shipments to Saudi Arabia increased only 1.2%. Exports to the US also moderated, likely due to trade-related uncertainty and a high base due to frontloading last year. As India lost ground among these important trade partners, others made up for the loss: shipments to Singapore more than doubled, exports to South Africa increased 76.5%, and those to China rose 27.6%, indicating a possible reorientation of export destinations amid evolving geopolitical conditions.
Services pulse
Most sub-sectors in India's newly released Index of Services Production (ISP) recorded double-digit year-on-year growth in April 2026, according to the trial estimates released by the statistics ministry on Tuesday. Nine of the 19 sub-sectors grew 10-20%, while three expanded 20-30%. Accommodation and food services (37.2%), retail trade (30.8%), administrative and support services (28.6%) led the gains. Only air transport (-14%) and railway transport (-0.4%) contracted, with the weakness in air transport likely reflecting disruptions linked to the West Asia war. This marked a sharp improvement from April 2025, when just one sub-sector recorded double-digit growth. Growth was even broader in March 2026, when 13 of the 19 sub-sectors expanded by more than 30%, likely aided by fiscal year-end spending and seasonal activity. However, the ISP remains a trial series with data available only from FY26, limiting longer-term trend analysis.
Numbers Talk
₹1.3 trillion: The outlay approved by the Union cabinet for the second phase of the India Semiconductor Mission to boost domestic chip manufacturing by supporting Indian firms in chip design, patent creation and indigenous research capabilities.
$10 billion: The inflows attracted by RBI after it announced a zero-cost foreign exchange swap facility for non-resident Indian (NRI) deposits at its 5 June policy meeting, enabling banks to offer higher returns on such deposits, Reuters reported.
16%: Year-on-year rise in India's net direct tax collections to ₹6.5 trillion in FY27 up to 13 July, driven by growth in both corporate and non-corporate tax receipts, according to official data released on Tuesday.
3,343: The reduction in HDFC Bank's workforce in FY26 as automation expanded and employees were redeployed to customer-facing roles, marking the lender's first net decline in headcount in nine years.
₹3,541 crore: The excess expenditure flagged by the Comptroller and Auditor General in Maharashtra's Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, citing lapses in budgeting and planning.
Ask AI
As the world marked World AI Appreciation Day on Thursday, a new YouGov survey underscored how deeply artificial intelligence is becoming embedded in everyday life. A YouGov Survey of 1,004 urban Indians shows that AI has become a regular tool for finding information, with 60% of respondents using it at least once a day and another 23% several times a week. Daily usage is the highest among Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012), at 67%, then falls to 52% among Gen X (1965-1980) and just 30% among baby boomers. Yet, widespread adoption has not displaced conventional search habits. More than a third (36%) said they turn to AI only after looking into other sources, while 27% use it as their starting point and 26% use it alongside other sources, suggesting that it remains a secondary source.
Teen titans
Spain and Argentina will face off in the FIFA World Cup final in New Jersey, US, on 19 July (12:30am IST), with the match set to feature two of the youngest players ever to appear in a World Cup final. Spain's Lamine Yamal (19 years and six days old) and Pau Cubarsí (19 years and six months old ) will join an elite list of teenage finalists led by Pelé, who was just over 17 years old when Brazil won the 1958 World Cup.
The final also marks Spain's return to the title clash after 16 years. Their only previous World Cup final appearance came in 2010, when they defeated the Netherlands to lift the trophy for the first time. Argentina, meanwhile, are the defending champion after winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. If they retain the title, Lionel Messi—who was among the oldest players to win the tournament in 2022—would become the second-oldest player to win a men's FIFA World Cup.