Mumbai, Aug 13
Softer lending rates in the Indian economy due to the transmission of the RBI's repo rate cuts to other rates, such as bank lending rates and deposit rates, continued in July, leading to an improvement in financial conditions during the month, according to a report released on Wednesday.
Key bank lending rates, such as the one-year marginal cost of funds-based lending rate (MCLR) and auto loan rate, eased 15 bps to 8.75 per cent and 7 bps, respectively to 9.19 per cent, while deposit rates eased 3 bps to 6.37 per cent during the month making it cheaper for banks to raise funds, the Crisil Research report said.
For the fourth straight month, systemic liquidity remained in surplus, which widened a tad in July compared with June. The RBI net absorbed Rs 3 lakh crore in July, slightly higher than the Rs 2.7 lakh crore in June. The higher surplus was supported by an increase in government spending and a decline in currency in circulation, the report said.
Another positive for the economy was that crude oil prices remained broadly stable at $71 per barrel from $71.5 amid the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies increasing oil output, the report added.