Economic Activity News

PM Modi flagged off four Vande Bharat trains today in Varanasi, affirmed connectivity boost and comfort. Earlier, Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw assessed arrangements at the city's railway station. Check routes below

The announcement also came after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told his Japanese counterpart about the importance of ‘anchoring inflation expectations’.

Chief economic adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran projects stronger domestic demand in India due to festive seasons and tax relief, while the finance ministry holds its GDP growth forecast. US tariffs pose risks, but Indian businesses are adapting, leading to a positive outlook for economic growth.

COLOMBIA-RATES/ (UPDATE 2):UPDATE 2-Colombia central bank board cuts interest rate to 10.25%

Inventories of key raw materials are piling up in China, evidence that economic activity remains too feeble to clear a surplus that’s crushing prices from steel to soybeans.

Despite falling from 62.3 in July to 60.1 in August, the seasonally adjusted S&P Global India Services PMI Business Activity Index indicated one of the strongest increases in output seen since mid-2010.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim of India becoming a top-three economy is likely due to population and economic growth, rather than his term. Yet, GDP isn't the sole indicator of well-being. While GDP is significant, economists prioritize economic growth and per capita income. Japan's stagnant economy challenges the idea of GDP as the only measure. Other factors like health, education, and environment, ignored by GDP, define a nation's well-being. India's low rankings in hunger, gender gap, and press freedom highlight the discrepancy. GDP should be supplemented with holistic measures to gauge true progress and citizen benefits.