{"id":390392,"date":"2024-09-19T14:18:36","date_gmt":"2024-09-19T08:48:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/?p=390392"},"modified":"2024-09-20T12:02:59","modified_gmt":"2024-09-20T06:32:59","slug":"its-the-economy-stupid-us-and-indias-paths-diverge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/subtext\/its-the-economy-stupid-us-and-indias-paths-diverge","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s the economy, stupid! US and India\u2019s paths diverge"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>We love IndiaDataHub\u2019s weekly newsletter, \u2018<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/indiadatahub.substack.com\/\"><em>This Week in Data<\/em><\/a><em>\u2019, which neatly wraps up all major macro data stories for the week. We love it so much, in fact, that we\u2019ve taken it upon ourselves to create a simple, digestible version of their newsletter for those of you that don\u2019t like econ-speak. Think of us as a cover band, reproducing their ideas in our own style. Attribute all insights, here, to IndiaDataHub. All mistakes, of course, are our own.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-is-our-low-inflation-good-news-or-just-an-illusion\"><strong>Is our low inflation good news? Or just an illusion?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/subtext\/its-the-economy-stupid-is-india-working\">Last month<\/a>, we talked about some fantastic inflation-related news: for the first time in years, inflation was below the RBI\u2019s target of 4% this July. On the surface, that good run seemed to continue in August. August\u2019s reading \u2014 at 3.65% year-on-year \u2014 was within a whisker\u2019s breadth of July\u2019s 3.6% year-on-year inflation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In essence, July marked the first month since 2019 where inflation was where the RBI would want it to be. And then, one month later \u2014 August marked the second.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1456\" height=\"968\" src=\"https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-390393\" srcset=\"https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image.jpeg 1456w, https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-300x199.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-1024x681.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-768x511.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1456px) 100vw, 1456px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>But here&#8217;s the problem: this stabilisation in prices might just be an illusion, because at least some of it just comes from \u2018<strong>base effects<\/strong>\u2019 doing their thing. As we wrote last month:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>To calculate inflation, you basically compare prices from a month with prices in the same month from the previous year. For July 2024\u2019s inflation, you compare July 2024 prices with those in July 2023. Now, if July 2023 prices were unreasonably high, prices from July 2024 would look benign in comparison, and you\u2019d get an inflation number that\u2019s deceptively low. That\u2019s the \u2018base effect\u2019: when the base number you compare something against is an anomaly, it distorts the whole comparison.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Food was really expensive last August. After all, the year saw a terrible heat-wave, followed by a weak monsoon. Vegetables \u2014 and tomatoes in particular \u2014 saw massive spikes in prices. Is it any  surprise that, compared to those terrible conditions, this year doesn\u2019t look too bad?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the other hand, \u2018<strong>core inflation<\/strong>\u2019 \u2014 inflation stripped off the effect of those things for which prices fluctuate a lot, like food or petrol \u2014 has actually increased by 0.2% since last month.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, there is some evidence that inflation might actually be ticking up a little. The good folks IndiaDataHub use some <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/X-13ARIMA-SEATS\">fancy models<\/a> to clean out the effects of seasonal variations from the data on prices, and then give you a sense of how prices have moved over three month-periods. Here\u2019s what they\u2019ve found: at the moment, as per their model, inflation is the highest it\u2019s been in a year.&nbsp;If this entire year looked like the last three months, our inflation rate would actually be ~7%!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1456\" height=\"966\" src=\"https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-390396\" srcset=\"https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-1.png 1456w, https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-1-300x199.png 300w, https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-1-1024x679.png 1024w, https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-1-768x510.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1456px) 100vw, 1456px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-inflation-s-easing-up-in-the-us\"><strong>Inflation\u2019s easing up in the US<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In contrast to India, the United States is actually seeing a sustained fall in inflation. Their inflation dropped to 2.5% year-on-year as per the official data. On top of that, IndiaDataHub\u2019s models show that if the last year looked anything like the last three months, inflation would hover around a mere 2%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is where India and America\u2019s trajectories depart. While, on the surface, inflation seems like its coming down dramatically in both countries, American prices have truly flattened off-late, while Indian prices are inching back upwards \u2014 hidden under the cover of base effects.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And so, when the central banks of the two countries see inflation data, it  suggests very different things, despite superficial similarities. While the US Fed just cut interest rates by a massive 0.5%, the RBI is likely to be a lot more cautious.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/14a1a07d-c10e-4dcc-b572-78d47ab46338_2347x1558.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"680\" src=\"https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/14a1a07d-c10e-4dcc-b572-78d47ab46338_2347x1558-1024x680.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-390541\" srcset=\"https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/14a1a07d-c10e-4dcc-b572-78d47ab46338_2347x1558-1024x680.webp 1024w, https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/14a1a07d-c10e-4dcc-b572-78d47ab46338_2347x1558-300x199.webp 300w, https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/14a1a07d-c10e-4dcc-b572-78d47ab46338_2347x1558-768x510.webp 768w, https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/14a1a07d-c10e-4dcc-b572-78d47ab46338_2347x1558.webp 1456w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-the-divergence-means\"><strong>What the divergence means<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>One way of thinking about a rate cut is that it makes money easier to access. If the US Fed cuts rates while RBI keeps things where they are, the US Dollar is available more easily, while nothing changes for the Rupee. Now, the more scarce something is, the higher it is in value, and <em>vice versa<\/em>. So, if the US Dollar is less scarce while the Rupee stays the same, the US Dollar may actually <em>fall <\/em>in value compared to the Rupee.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, imagine: you\u2019re an Indian business that is \u2018exposed\u2019 to Dollars. Maybe all your clients are located abroad, for instance, and you charge them in Dollars, which your bank converts into Rupees for you. If you don&#8217;t want your business to go <em>kaput<\/em> overnight, you&#8217;d probably like something that saves you from the risk of US Dollars suddenly going down in value, relative to the Rupee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That \u2018something\u2019 is a \u2018forward contract\u2019. A forward contract lets you book an exchange rate for when you\u2019re exchanging currencies in the future. In return, you pay a small premium to book this rate. As a change in the USD-INR exchange rate becomes more likely, those premiums are beginning to go up. Early in September, the premium on 6-month forward contracts was at 1.7% \u2014 far higher than June&#8217;s 1.2%. This is the highest this rate has been since October last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, historically, interest rates in the US have been much lower than in India. And that\u2019s reflected in forward premiums. Since 2011, for instance, the average premium was 5% \u2014 well higher than it is now. It\u2019s only after COVID-era rate hikes that the two came close together. As a result, over this period, forward premiums have been unusually low. This graph is a good illustration of how they\u2019ve fallen:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1456\" height=\"970\" src=\"https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-4.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-390398\" srcset=\"https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-4.jpeg 1456w, https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-4-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-4-1024x682.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-4-768x512.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1456px) 100vw, 1456px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If things return to how they were before COVID struck, and US and Indian interest rates diverge again, you\u2019ll probably see forward premiums peak again as well.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-tepid-august\"><strong>Tepid August<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>August was the month temperatures came down in a lot of India. But it looks like a lot of businesses weren\u2019t feeling so hot either.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Take insurance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our insurance industry, as we discussed <a href=\"https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/subtext\/its-the-economy-stupid-does-nobody-want-insurance-any-more\">last month<\/a>, is slowing down. This August, it saw its poorest growth in a year \u2014 since August last year, in fact. Even when compared to an <em>already<\/em> weak month, year-on-year, August saw growth of a mere 4%. Essentially, the fact that we see growth <em>at all <\/em>this August is just an illusion created by base effects.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The new business premiums of the life insurance industry look decent, growing at 20% year-on-year. But this, too, comes from base effects. Last August had exceptionally bad new business premiums. They&#8217;d fallen by 18% year-on-year, in fact. Once you factor that in, this August no longer looks too great. Meanwhile, the actual number of policies life insurers sold has actually declined, even compared to the weak business they did last August.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1456\" height=\"964\" src=\"https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-2.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-390395\" srcset=\"https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-2.jpeg 1456w, https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-2-300x199.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-2-1024x678.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-2-768x508.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1456px) 100vw, 1456px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Airlines, too, are facing a turbulent time.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This August, India\u2019s aviation industry carried just just 5.7% more people than it did in August last year. This is despite the fact that all the big airlines have been adding flights. As a result, their \u2018passenger load factor\u2019 (PLF) \u2014 which measures how full flights are \u2014 has gone down year-on-year. This is a broader trend, actually. There\u2019s been a consistent drop in PLFs over the last five months.<br><br>Clearly, airlines are adding seats faster than they\u2019re finding people to fill them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1456\" height=\"960\" src=\"https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-1.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-390394\" srcset=\"https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-1.jpeg 1456w, https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-1-300x198.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-1-1024x675.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-1-768x506.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1456px) 100vw, 1456px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-india-s-highest-ever-forex-count\"><strong>India\u2019s highest ever forex count!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>India\u2019s forex reserves continue to set records. On 6th September, our reserves hit US$ 689 billion \u2014 the highest they\u2019ve ever been, so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US$ 689 billion can buy 11 months worth of India\u2019s imports, in a worst case scenario where no more money comes in. It can pay off every single Dollar of debt we\u2019ve taken. With reserves this high, we can breathe easy in the knowledge that we won\u2019t simply crumble in the face of an external shock.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s definitely comforting in a time like today, when the world economy\u2019s run off-kilter for the last few years. Volatility may just be around the corner, and it\u2019s good to know that we can survive it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1456\" height=\"966\" src=\"https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-3.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-390397\" srcset=\"https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-3.jpeg 1456w, https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-3-300x199.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-3-1024x679.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/zerodha.com\/z-connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-3-768x510.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1456px) 100vw, 1456px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-cutting-phase-is-underway\"><strong>The cutting phase is underway<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The European Central Bank has cut interest rates: slashing rates on deposits by 0.25%, to 3.5%, and on refinancing by 0.6%, to 3.65%. This was followed by a massive 0.5% slash in interest rates by the US Fed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Clearly, rate cuts are the flavour of the season!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s all for the week, folks!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Inflation falls in both India and US. But why&#8217;s the RBI, unlike the US Fed, still cautious? Maybe because our inflation rate is a mirage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":242542,"featured_media":382688,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[532],"tags":[1081,708,1080,596,524,202,704,953],"class_list":["post-390392","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-subtext","tag-airlines","tag-foreign-exchange","tag-forward-contracts","tag-inflation","tag-insurance","tag-interest-rates","tag-rbi","tag-us-fed"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v23.5 (Yoast SEO v26.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>It\u2019s the economy, stupid! 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