Cyclical or structural? Decoding the nature of India's economic slowdown

Current Affairs

India’s real or inflation-adjusted gross domestic product (GDP) grew at 5 per cent in the June 2019 quarter of financial year 2019-20 (Q1FY20), the slowest growth in six years (25 quarters). In nominal terms, the growth stood at 7.99 per cent, lowest since December 2002.
With this, fears of the slowdown being a more structural one than a cyclical one have surfaced.
What is a cyclical slowdown?
A cyclical slowdown is a period of lean economic activity that occurs at regular intervals. Such slowdowns last over the short-to-medium term, and are based on the changes in the business cycle.
Generally, interim fiscal and monetary measures, temporary recapitalisation of credit markets, and need-based regulatory changes are required to revive the economy.
What is a structural slowdown?
A structural slowdown, on the other hand, is a more deep-rooted phenomenon that occurs due to a one-off shift from an existing paradigm. The changes, which last over a long-term, are driven by disruptive technologies, changing demographics, and/or change in consumer behaviour.
Dissecting India’s slowdown

 A slowdown in consumption demand, decline in manufacturing, inability of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) to resolve cases in a time-bound manner, and rising global trade tension...Read More

Political risks to rate cut, what India's women economists predict for 2019

Economy & Policy:

India’s economy, among the world’s fastest growing, faces risks from a global slowdown and political instability after a national election. That’s the view of the top women economists covering the nation.

Slower growth and benign inflation will boost chances of back-to-back interest rate cuts by the Reserve Bank of India in April, according to the three analysts, who are ranked among the most accurate female forecasters in Bloomberg surveys on growth and inflation. The rankings are based on two years of contributed surveys.

Political risks are also intensifying as tensions with Pakistan mount and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s re-election bid gets more heated.

Here’s a look at what the economists expect for the rest of the year:

Sonal Varma

Chief India Economist, Nomura Holdings Inc.

Top woman forecaster for quarterly gross domestic product
Growth: Weaker global demand will affect everything from India’s exports to manufacturing, Varma said, while tight financial conditions will hurt domestic demand and political uncertainty will delay investment decisions. She forecast growth of 6.8 percent in the fiscal year starting April versus Reserve Bank of India’s 7.4 percent.


 Interest Rates: “The Reserve Bank reaffirmed its focus towards headline inflation and its willingness to support growth, which suggests the February policy cut was not a ‘one and done’,” Varma said. Based on her assessment of slower growth and inflation remaining below RBI’s projection, she expects another rate cut in April of 25 basis points...Read More