Under enigmatic Patel,
Indians failing
Reserve Bank of India would
cut its key rate by a quarter of a percentage point. But the RBI held
rates and moved to a "neutral" policy stance, signalling an end to
India's longest monetary easing cycle since the 2008-09 global financial
crisis.
The move surprised Jose and crimped his expansion plans.
"We were planning to buy two commercial vehicles to transport food and
were expecting a rate cut. Now, we're forced to defer that plan."
He was not the only one wrong-footed.
Under governor Urjit Patel, the RBI has significantly reduced communication with markets after he took over in September,
of his public comments shows.
Some critics say that a lack of clarity is pushing bond yields higher,
and that in turn could send interest rates higher and restrain economic growth.
A government source familiar with the RBI's thinking said that with
modifications to the laws governing the bank and the introduction of a
monetary policy committee, the governor was no longer sole arbiter of
policy as prior RBI governors had been.
His views would not be reflective of the entire MPC, added the source,
who declined to be named.
Central bankers around the world keep moves in benchmark interest rates a
closely held secret before they are announced, but governors and other
senior policy makers tend to guide markets, helping to avoid surprises
that may cause volatility.
In his first five months in office, during which Prime Minister Narendra
Modi abruptly abolished high-value currency notes and roiled economic
activity..
Under both his predecessors, most economists accurately called the rate
direction in the large majority of cases.
"The government's trying to boost growth that's been hit by demonetisation, but central bank communication is working in the
opposite direction," said a senior Mumbai-based treasury banker, who
asked not be named.
Some market watchers say it is early in Patel's tenure and that he
should be given more time.
"He is dealing with ... the most radical executive decision in modern
India's monetary history.
The sharp increase in yields has meant a lost opportunity for
state-backed transmission company Power Grid Corp, which had decided to
wait for a rate cut before issuing bonds to finance capital expenditure,
said Ajay Manglunia, head of fixed income markets at Edelweiss, one of
the underwriters.
The company was likely to issue bonds worth 20-25 billion rupees
($300-375 million), Manglunia added.
An official with direct knowledge of the matter said Power Grid had
deferred the issuance and was looking for alternative funding sources.
Power Grid did not respond to a request for comment.
"The volatility in the market has gone to such a level that credible
investment is taking time to re-surface and issuers may be better off
deferring the transactions," said Jayen Shah, head of debt capital
markets at IDFC Bank
.
The government source said the market had "misread" the role of the MPC
within the confines of amendments to legislation, and noted that the
tweaks made "inflation a much bigger focus for the committee with growth
being secondary."
Patel, a deputy governor since 2013, had been known within the RBI as
reserved, insiders have said. He is widely regarded as having the
professional and academic credentials to succeed, but the governor's .
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