
Sensex slumps 1.1% ahead of U.S. Fed meet
The Hindu
Indian equity markets slumped by more than 1% following nervousness ahead of the U.S. Fed policy meeting on Thursday.
An accommodative policy could stabilise global markets, analysts said, adding that the rise in COVID-19 cases fuelled selling pressure. Extending losses to the fourth session in a row, the S&P BSE Sensex fell 1.12% or 562 points to 49,801.62 on broad-based selling. PSU and banking stocks were most impacted. The NSE Nifty 50 too dipped 1.27% to 14,721.30.
The latest Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) by MoS&PI reveals a transformative shift in India’s economic landscape. For the first time in over a decade, granular data on Monthly Per Capita Expenditure (MPCE) highlights a significant decline in the proportional share of food spending—a classic validation of Engel’s Law as real incomes rise. Between 1999 and 2024, both rural and urban consumption pivoted away from staple-heavy diets toward protein-rich foods, health, education, and conveyance. As Indian households move beyond subsistence, these shifting Indian household spending patterns offer vital insights for social sector policy, poverty estimation, and the lived realities of an expanding middle-income population.












