The Inflation Expectations Survey of Households for the April-June 2013 quarter (32nd round) captures the inflation expectations of 4,960 urban households across 16 cities, for the next three-month and the next one-year period. These expectations are based on their individual consumption baskets and hence these rates should not be considered as predictors of any official measure of inflation. The households’ inflation expectations provide useful directional information on near-term inflationary pressures and also supplement other economic indicators to get a better indication of future inflation.
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The three-month ahead and one-year ahead median inflation expectation of households remained more or less at a similar level in the June 2013 round as in the previous round.
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The proportion of respondents expecting ‘general’ price rise by ‘more than current rate’ has decreased for three-month ahead as well as one-year ahead period.
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The proportion of respondents expecting price increase by ‘more than current rate’ in three-month ahead period has diminished for food products and cost of services. For one-year ahead period, the corresponding proportion has diminished for all product-groups (food products, non-food products, household durables, housing and cost of services).
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There was no major variation in the inflation expectations across gender, age-group and occupation category of respondents. However, city-wise inflation expectations varied to some extent.
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About 65 per cent (62 per cent in the last round) and 73 per cent (71 per cent in the last round) of respondents expect double digit inflation rates for three-month ahead and one-year ahead period, respectively.
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On the awareness of the RBI’s action to control inflation and its impact, 56 per cent (63 per cent in the last round) of the respondents were aware of the role of RBI in controlling inflation; 36 per cent (33 per cent in the last round) felt that RBI is taking necessary action. Among these 36 per cent, 49 per cent (44 per cent in the last round) reported that RBI’s action has an impact on controlling inflation.
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While 75 per cent of respondents expected that their income/wages would increase in the next one-year period, 21 per cent of respondents expected an increase in next three-month period which is relatively lower as compared with the previous round.
Table 2A: Product-wise Expectations of Prices for Three-month ahead and One-year ahead (12 Cities) |
(Percentage of respondents) |
Round No./Survey period |
28 |
29 |
30 |
31 |
32 |
28 |
29 |
30 |
31 |
32 |
(quarter ended) → |
Jun-12 |
Sep-12 |
Dec-12 |
Mar-13 |
Jun-13 |
Jun-12 |
Sep-12 |
Dec-12 |
Mar-13 |
Jun-13 |
Options: General |
Three-month ahead |
One-year ahead |
Prices will increase |
99.0 |
98.9 |
98.4 |
99.3 |
99.2 |
99.5 |
99.1 |
98.6 |
98.4 |
97.8 |
Price increase more than current rate |
83.6 |
78.9 |
73.6 |
65.2 |
65.5 |
84.4 |
86.8 |
82.1 |
73.2 |
67.4 |
Price increase similar to current rate |
11.2 |
14.5 |
19.1 |
28.8 |
27.4 |
10.5 |
7.6 |
11.6 |
20.6 |
22.9 |
Price increase less than current rate |
4.2 |
5.5 |
5.7 |
5.2 |
6.3 |
4.6 |
4.8 |
4.9 |
4.7 |
7.5 |
No change in prices |
1.0 |
1.1 |
1.5 |
0.6 |
0.8 |
0.4 |
0.8 |
1.2 |
1.5 |
2.1 |
Decline in price |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
Options: Food Product |
Three-month ahead |
One-year ahead |
Prices will increase |
98.8 |
98.8 |
98.6 |
99.1 |
97.9 |
99.4 |
99.1 |
98.6 |
98.5 |
97.5 |
Price increase more than current rate |
80.8 |
78.6 |
72.9 |
68.2 |
66.9 |
82.5 |
85.7 |
80.0 |
76.3 |
68.9 |
Price increase similar to current rate |
14.3 |
15.5 |
21.1 |
26.8 |
25.4 |
12.6 |
9.9 |
14.7 |
18.2 |
21.8 |
Price increase less than current rate |
3.7 |
4.7 |
4.6 |
4.2 |
5.6 |
4.3 |
3.5 |
4.0 |
4.1 |
6.9 |
No change in prices |
1.1 |
1.1 |
1.3 |
0.8 |
1.9 |
0.5 |
0.9 |
1.2 |
1.4 |
2.3 |
Decline in price |
0.1 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
Options: Non-Food Product |
Three-month ahead |
One-year ahead |
Prices will increase |
97.8 |
98.1 |
96.9 |
98.8 |
98.3 |
99.3 |
99.0 |
98.0 |
98.8 |
97.4 |
Price increase more than current rate |
72.6 |
70.0 |
62.1 |
58.6 |
61.2 |
79.9 |
80.3 |
76.2 |
71.7 |
66.0 |
Price increase similar to current rate |
20.3 |
20.5 |
25.9 |
32.9 |
29.3 |
15.2 |
13.8 |
17.6 |
23.0 |
24.7 |
Price increase less than current rate |
4.9 |
7.6 |
8.9 |
7.3 |
7.9 |
4.2 |
4.9 |
4.2 |
4.1 |
6.8 |
No change in prices |
2.2 |
1.9 |
2.9 |
1.1 |
1.6 |
0.6 |
1.0 |
1.9 |
1.1 |
2.5 |
Decline in price |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
Options: Household Durables |
Three-month ahead |
One-year ahead |
Prices will increase |
94.3 |
86.9 |
90.7 |
93.1 |
90.0 |
96.3 |
94.9 |
96.1 |
94.4 |
94.4 |
Price increase more than current rate |
63.5 |
49.9 |
48.5 |
43.7 |
49.4 |
66.9 |
60.9 |
58.9 |
54.1 |
52.3 |
Price increase similar to current rate |
22.4 |
21.9 |
29.8 |
37.1 |
30.2 |
18.8 |
21.6 |
25.6 |
30.6 |
29.5 |
Price increase less than current rate |
8.4 |
15.1 |
12.5 |
12.3 |
10.4 |
10.6 |
12.4 |
11.6 |
9.7 |
12.6 |
No change in prices |
5.1 |
11.7 |
8.9 |
6.5 |
9.5 |
3.4 |
4.7 |
3.6 |
5.2 |
5.5 |
Decline in price |
0.6 |
1.4 |
0.4 |
0.5 |
0.5 |
0.4 |
0.4 |
0.3 |
0.5 |
0.2 |
Options: Housing Prices |
Three-month ahead |
One-year ahead |
Prices will increase |
96.4 |
94.9 |
95.9 |
97.8 |
97.9 |
98.9 |
98.4 |
97.7 |
97.8 |
97.7 |
Price increase more than current rate |
73.0 |
75.1 |
69.1 |
64.0 |
65.1 |
76.9 |
83.5 |
75.7 |
70.8 |
65.5 |
Price increase similar to current rate |
18.3 |
14.8 |
19.9 |
25.8 |
26.3 |
16.8 |
10.7 |
14.7 |
21.8 |
25.0 |
Price increase less than current rate |
5.1 |
5.0 |
6.9 |
8.0 |
6.5 |
5.2 |
4.2 |
7.3 |
5.2 |
7.2 |
No change in prices |
3.2 |
3.5 |
4.0 |
2.1 |
2.0 |
0.9 |
1.5 |
2.1 |
2.0 |
2.3 |
Decline in price |
0.5 |
1.7 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
Options: Cost of Services |
Three-month ahead |
One-year ahead |
Prices will increase |
96.4 |
93.6 |
94.6 |
98.0 |
96.9 |
98.1 |
97.4 |
96.4 |
97.0 |
95.3 |
Price increase more than current rate |
73.0 |
69.1 |
68.8 |
62.0 |
61.2 |
74.0 |
76.5 |
72.2 |
65.1 |
62.3 |
Price increase similar to current rate |
18.3 |
17.8 |
19.0 |
27.3 |
28.8 |
18.5 |
14.5 |
17.7 |
26.6 |
25.2 |
Price increase less than current rate |
5.1 |
6.7 |
6.9 |
8.7 |
6.9 |
5.6 |
6.5 |
6.5 |
5.4 |
7.9 |
No change in prices |
3.2 |
5.9 |
5.2 |
2.0 |
3.0 |
2.0 |
2.5 |
3.4 |
3.0 |
4.5 |
Decline in price |
0.5 |
0.5 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
Table 2B: Product-wise Expectations of Prices for Three-month ahead and One-year ahead (16 Cities) |
(Percentage of respondents) |
Round No./Survey period |
30 |
31 |
32 |
30 |
31 |
32 |
(quarter ended) → |
Dec-12 |
Mar-13 |
Jun-13 |
Dec-12 |
Mar-13 |
Jun-13 |
Options: General |
Three-month ahead |
One-year ahead |
Prices will increase |
98.5 |
99.4 |
99.1 |
98.8 |
98.7 |
98.2 |
Price increase more than current rate |
75.7 |
66.9 |
66.1 |
84.7 |
74.8 |
71.3 |
Price increase similar to current rate |
17.9 |
24.2 |
25.6 |
10.1 |
17.0 |
18.7 |
Price increase less than current rate |
4.9 |
8.2 |
7.5 |
4.1 |
6.9 |
8.3 |
No change in prices |
1.4 |
0.5 |
0.8 |
1.1 |
1.2 |
1.7 |
Decline in price |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
Options: Food Product |
Three-month ahead |
One-year ahead |
Prices will increase |
98.4 |
99.2 |
98.2 |
98.8 |
98.8 |
98.0 |
Price increase more than current rate |
74.4 |
70.5 |
67.8 |
82.5 |
78.1 |
72.9 |
Price increase similar to current rate |
19.8 |
22.8 |
24.4 |
12.8 |
15.9 |
17.9 |
Price increase less than current rate |
4.2 |
6.0 |
6.0 |
3.5 |
4.8 |
7.2 |
No change in prices |
1.4 |
0.7 |
1.7 |
1.1 |
1.1 |
1.9 |
Decline in price |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
Options: Non-Food Product |
Three-month ahead |
One-year ahead |
Prices will increase |
96.7 |
98.5 |
97.9 |
98.1 |
99.0 |
97.8 |
Price increase more than current rate |
63.3 |
58.6 |
59.0 |
78.0 |
71.6 |
68.2 |
Price increase similar to current rate |
25.3 |
30.2 |
29.9 |
16.0 |
21.1 |
21.9 |
Price increase less than current rate |
8.1 |
9.7 |
9.0 |
4.1 |
6.4 |
7.8 |
No change in prices |
3.0 |
1.4 |
2.1 |
1.8 |
0.9 |
2.1 |
Decline in price |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
Options: Household Durables |
Three month ahead |
One-year ahead |
Prices will increase |
90.2 |
93.3 |
89.6 |
96.2 |
95.4 |
95.1 |
Price increase more than current rate |
50.7 |
45.0 |
48.0 |
61.7 |
56.3 |
56.0 |
Price increase similar to current rate |
27.8 |
34.1 |
30.0 |
23.8 |
27.8 |
26.1 |
Price increase less than current rate |
11.7 |
14.2 |
11.6 |
10.7 |
11.3 |
12.9 |
No change in prices |
9.2 |
6.3 |
9.9 |
3.4 |
4.2 |
4.8 |
Decline in price |
0.6 |
0.4 |
0.5 |
0.4 |
0.4 |
0.1 |
Options: Housing Prices |
Three-month ahead |
One-year ahead |
Prices will increase |
96.3 |
96.8 |
97.4 |
98.0 |
98.0 |
98.0 |
Price increase more than current rate |
72.8 |
64.5 |
64.5 |
79.5 |
72.4 |
69.7 |
Price increase similar to current rate |
17.7 |
22.7 |
25.3 |
12.5 |
19.7 |
21.5 |
Price increase less than current rate |
5.7 |
9.6 |
7.6 |
6.0 |
5.9 |
6.7 |
No change in prices |
3.6 |
3.1 |
2.4 |
1.8 |
1.8 |
1.9 |
Decline in price |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
Options: Cost of Services |
Three-month ahead |
One-year ahead |
Prices will increase |
94.4 |
97.6 |
96.0 |
96.8 |
97.4 |
96.1 |
Price increase more than current rate |
68.8 |
63.8 |
62.0 |
73.9 |
68.6 |
67.7 |
Price increase similar to current rate |
18.7 |
24.7 |
27.1 |
16.3 |
23.1 |
21.1 |
Price increase less than current rate |
6.9 |
9.1 |
6.9 |
6.6 |
5.7 |
7.2 |
No change in prices |
5.4 |
2.3 |
3.8 |
3.0 |
2.5 |
3.8 |
Decline in price |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.1 |