RBI launches July round of rural, urban consumer confidence and inflation expectation surveys

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday launched the July 2026 round of three key household surveys - the Urban Consumer Confidence Survey (UCCS), the Rural Consumer Confidence Survey (RCCS), and the Inflation Expectations Survey of Households (IESH) - to gather public feedback on economic conditions, inflation and employment, with the findings set to provide inputs for monetary policy.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday launched the July 2026 round of three key household surveys - the Urban Consumer Confidence Survey (UCCS), the Rural Consumer Confidence Survey (RCCS), and the Inflation Expectations Survey of Households (IESH) - to gather public feedback on economic conditions, inflation and employment, with the findings set to provide inputs for monetary policy. According to separate RBI press releases, the central bank has launched the latest round of its regular household surveys to assess consumer sentiment and inflation expectations across the country.

The RBI said the Urban Consumer Confidence Survey "seeks qualitative responses from households, regarding their sentiments on general economic situation, employment scenario, price level, households' income and spending." The survey is conducted across 19 cities, and "the results of this survey provide useful inputs for monetary policy." The central bank also launched the July round of the Inflation Expectations Survey of Households, which aims to capture households' assessment of price movements and inflation based on their individual consumption baskets across the same 19 cities.

"The survey seeks qualitative responses from households on price changes (general prices as well as prices of specific product groups) in the three months ahead as well as in the one year ahead period and quantitative responses on current, three months ahead and one year ahead inflation rates," the RBI said, adding that "the results of this survey provide useful inputs for monetary policy." In addition, the RBI launched the July 2026 round of the Rural Consumer Confidence Survey, which covers rural and semi-urban households across 31 states and Union Territories.

According to the RBI, the survey "collects current perceptions and one year ahead expectations of households on general economic situation, employment scenario, overall price situation, own income and spending" and "the results of this survey provide useful inputs for monetary policy." The RBI said the surveys will be conducted through survey agencies appointed on its behalf. Selected households will be approached directly, while individuals who are not contacted by the agencies can also participate by submitting their responses through the online survey schedules provided by the central bank. (ANI)