Economic Calendar India Today – Thursday, 12 November 2026: CPI Inflation Hits 6.09% in October

Thursday, 12 November 2026 (IST) | Last updated 6:05 PM IST

Welcome to today’s Economic Calendar India update. The one Indian data release scheduled for today is the Consumer Price Index (CPI), India’s headline retail inflation number, for October 2026. It is already out: retail inflation rose to 6.09% year-on-year, above the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) 6% upper tolerance limit. This page lays out the numbers, the recent trend, and why the economic data and stock market connection matters for Indian investors.

Economic Calendar India – Today’s Key Events

*MoSPI’s advance release calendar confirms CPI for 12 November but lists dates only, not times. The 4:00 PM IST timing follows the September release, which PIB posted at 4:00 PM IST; today’s exact release time was not separately verified. The forecast is a Reuters poll of economists as reported by Reuters, not an official number. Actual inflation came in above it. CPI was the only release listed for today in the MoSPI calendar.

Understanding Today’s Economic Indicators

Consumer Price Index (CPI) Inflation

CPI tracks the change in prices of a fixed basket of things households buy, from vegetables and milk to rent, transport and school fees. The year-on-year (YoY) figure compares prices with the same month a year earlier. It is the number the RBI uses for its inflation target of 4%, with a tolerance band of 2% to 6%. The series now uses 2024 as its base year (2024 = 100).

What the data shows (official facts, as reported). According to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) statement, YoY retail inflation for October 2026 is 6.09% (provisional), up from 5.54% in September. Food inflation, measured by the Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI), rose to 8.94% from 7.74%. Rural inflation was 6.63% and urban inflation 5.41%. Reuters noted this is the first time the reading has gone above the RBI’s upper limit under the new series, and the highest since October 2024, when it was around 6.2% under the older 2012-base series.

September figures: PIB release for September 2026. October figures: MoSPI data as reported by Free Press Journal, Oneindia and Reuters. Change is our own calculation from the rounded figures.

Onion and garlic prices rose sharply. Media reports of the MoSPI data put onion inflation at 116.22% YoY (108.13% in September) and garlic at 60.74%, while potato prices were still lower than a year ago.

What the market expected. A Reuters poll of economists pencilled in 5.93%. Before the release, Bank of Baroda’s research team expected around 6.0% and ICRA expected about 6.1%. The actual 6.09% was above the Reuters poll median and close to those two estimates. These are forecasts, not official figures.

Policy background. The RBI raised the repo rate (the rate at which it lends short-term money to banks) by 25 basis points to 5.50% on 7 October 2026 and moved to a calibrated tightening stance. Its projection for FY2026-27 CPI inflation is 5.2%, with the October–December quarter averaging around 6.0%, as reported by Reuters and Hans India. The next Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting is reported to be on 2–4 December 2026.

What to watch. Whether the food-driven rise spreads to other categories, how core inflation (inflation excluding food and fuel) behaves, and how RBI commentary changes ahead of the December review.

Possible market implications (educational, not predictions). Higher-than-expected inflation can raise the odds that the RBI keeps rates firm or tightens further. That can matter for bond yields, for banks and NBFCs through their borrowing and lending costs, for rate-sensitive sectors such as realty and autos, and for the rupee through interest-rate differentials. Consumer staples companies may face input-cost pressure from food prices. How markets actually react depends on many other factors, including global cues, crude oil and foreign flows.

Historical Data of CPI Inflation (All India, Combined, YoY)

Source: MoSPI/PIB, CPI with base year 2024 = 100, using the annexure in the PIB release for September 2026 (January to September) and the MoSPI statement for October as reported by news agencies. Figures are as first published; September and October are provisional and may be revised. Inflation rates for 2025 months are not available on this series in the release we checked, so the January 2026 previous value is shown as not available.

In simple words, retail inflation has risen every single month in 2026, from 2.74% in January to 6.09% in October. For most of the year it stayed below the RBI’s 4% target, then moved above it from August and past the 6% ceiling in October. The rise has been driven mostly by food prices, which is why the RBI watches vegetables and cereals so closely.

How Could Today’s Economic Data Affect the Indian Stock Market?

Think of CPI as one link in a chain. Inflation influences what the RBI does with interest rates. Interest rates influence bond yields, loan costs for companies and households, and the rate at which investors discount future earnings. Each of those can feed into share prices. Here are the main channels in plain language:

• Inflation to rate expectations: A reading above the RBI’s comfort zone can push expectations towards firmer or higher rates, which tends to matter for banking stocks, NBFCs and rate-sensitive sectors.
• Inflation to consumer demand: When food bills rise, households may have less left for other spending, which can matter for FMCG, auto and discretionary companies.
• Inflation to the rupee and bonds: Higher rates can attract or retain foreign debt flows, while sticky inflation can pressure government bond prices.
• Input costs: Companies that depend on agricultural inputs may face margin pressure.

These are possible relationships, not guaranteed reactions. Markets often move on the gap between the actual number and what was already expected, and a single data point rarely decides the direction of the Nifty 50 or Sensex. For how the market itself moved today, see our pre-market report for 12 November 2026 and the market wrap for 12 November.

What Should Indian Investors Watch Today?

• Food versus core: Headline inflation is rising on food. Watch whether non-food prices also start to move, because that is usually what shapes the RBI’s thinking.
• RBI language: The MPC meets on 2–4 December (as reported). Any comments from policymakers on the 6% limit are worth following.
• Bond yields and the rupee: These often react to inflation data faster than equities do.
• Upcoming data: MoSPI’s calendar lists IIP on 28 November and Q2 GDP estimates on 30 November. For the last industrial output reading, see our 28 October Economic Calendar India update.
• Previous CPI context: Our 12 October Economic Calendar India page covers the September CPI reading in detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Economic Calendar India?

It is a schedule of important Indian economic data releases and policy events, such as CPI inflation, WPI, IIP, PMI, GDP and RBI decisions, along with the latest readings. Investors use it to know which data is coming and how it compares with earlier numbers.

Where can I check India’s economic calendar today?

MoSPI publishes an advance release calendar for its data, and the RBI and the Office of the Economic Adviser (DPIIT) publish their own schedules. Our daily Economic Calendar India page also summarises the verified releases for the day.

Which indicators matter most for the Indian stock market?

CPI and WPI inflation, IIP, PMI, GDP growth, trade data, forex reserves and RBI policy decisions are commonly followed. Inflation and RBI decisions are often watched closely because they influence interest-rate expectations.

What is the difference between CPI and WPI inflation?

CPI measures price changes faced by consumers at the retail level, and the RBI uses it for its inflation target. WPI measures price changes at the wholesale level for goods and does not include services.

How can economic data affect Nifty 50 and Sensex?

Data can change expectations about interest rates, company earnings and the rupee, which in turn can influence the Nifty 50 and Sensex. Reactions vary and are never certain.

Conclusion

India’s retail inflation rose to 6.09% in October 2026 from 5.54% in September, above the RBI’s 6% upper limit and slightly above the 5.93% Reuters poll median. Food inflation of 8.94% did most of the lifting, and CPI has now risen every month this year. With the repo rate at 5.50% and the next MPC meeting due in early December, the food-price trend and the core inflation reading will be the numbers to follow.

Data sources: CPI figures for January to September 2026 from the official PIB press release on CPI for September 2026 (MoSPI). October 2026 figures are the MoSPI statement as reported by Reuters via Investing.com, Free Press Journal, The Hans India and Oneindia. Release date from the MoSPI advance release calendar. Pre-release estimates: Bank of Baroda via Devdiscourse and ICRA via NewsBytes. The official MoSPI press release for October could not be accessed directly at the time of writing, and provisional figures may be revised.

This article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Please consult a SEBI-registered investment advisor before making any trading or investment decisions.