India is in the third quintile, along with select countries in South Asia, East Africa and West Africa

xWhat distinguishes truth from lies? Statistics, of course. Nothing illustrates the criticality of timely, accurate, consistent data for sound economic decision-making than US Federal Reserve chairperson Jerome Powell’s lament about contemporary monetary policy being like “driving slowly through a foggy night”. He was referring to the consequences of reducing the US Federal Reserve rate below four per cent, where it has stood since September 2025, after two sequential cuts of 0.25 per cent each since December 2024, amidst heightened economic uncertainty from President Donald Trump’s tantrums.

Christopher Waller, a contender for succeeding Mr Powell and a proponent of lower reserve rates

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