RBI holds repo rate at 5.50%: What it means
The RBI just hit pause on changing interest rates, holding the repo rate at 5.50% after cutting it earlier this year.
They want to give those past cuts time to work, especially since inflation is still a worry and global risks are making things tricky.
Why the RBI is worried
Inflation is creeping up (2.1% in June, with core inflation near 4%), and new US tariffs on Indian goods could hurt exports and push the Rupee down.
Despite these bumps, RBI expects India's economy to grow by 6.5%.
Experts like ICRA and Deutsche Bank think rates will likely stay put for a while as everyone waits to see how things play out.
Why you should care about repo rates
Interest rates affect everything from your student loans to job opportunities—so even if "repo rate" sounds boring, it shapes how much stuff costs and how fast the economy grows.
The next big update?