Indian inflation seen easing to 5.50pc in Sept

BENGALURU, Oct 11 (Reuters): Indian retail inflation likely eased to 5.50 per cent last month, within the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) tolerance band, on moderating food price rises and government subsidies that offset a surge in the cost of crude oil, a Reuters poll found.
The RBI kept monetary policy unchanged on Oct. 6 for a fourth consecutive meeting and signalled interest rates would remain high until inflation was closer to 4 per cent, the midpoint of the central bank's 2-6 per cent target range.
Rises in food prices, which make up about half the consumer price index (CPI), continue to cool from recent peaks after the Indian government enacted a series of measures to boost supply.
Inflation, as measured by the annual change in the CPI, was forecast to have fallen to 5.50 per cent in September from 6.83 per cent in August, according to an Oct. 3-9 Reuters poll of 66 economists.