Fiscal deficit should come down to 5% in medium term -- Sinha
The gross fiscal deficit of the centre and state governments taken together is estimated at about eight per cent of the GDP in 1998-99. A reasonable medium-term target would be to bring this down to five per cent of the gross domestic product.

FE Economic Agenda for Elections '99
If the smoke signals emanating from the political battlefield are any indication, the coming general elections will be fought over non-issues.

Inflation drops to 1.62 per cent
Inflation rate fell to a two-decade low of 1.62% for the week ended July 17, despite a marginal rise in the Wholesale Price Index (WPI).

  Exports up 11.14% in June
  China's nascent managers shun factories and shopfloors
  Frequent elections force corporates to scale down contributions
  Economic issues divide Left parties
  MPCC board of Pawar-baiters holds stock-taking meet
  NCP takes three of six Greater Mumbai seats
  SAD-BJP alliance not to support Gujral
  Janata Dal in Orissa formally splits
  Women voters outnumber men in Andhra Pradesh
  Executive Briefing
  CAG unearths Rs 26cr ST irregularities
  Newsmaker
  Messy edible oil
  Briefing
  RBI spikes Credit Lyonnais FRA deal
  Textiles technology fund fails to take off
  India to participate for first time in Israel farm expo
  Local clove prices up as Indonesian production falls
  Steel recovery fails to cheer raw material sector
  Vegetable oil imports upset domestic producers
  Farm body selected canalising agent for red onions
  Centre to issue norms on mineral water
  Tea consignment exports to Russia ruled out
  Pepper re-exports put at 71,000 tonnes
  Global wool production decline a boon for India
  Spices Board to stress on development of organic farming to increase exports
  Synthetic rubber industry hit despite imposition of anti-dumping duty levy
  Global crude steel output drops in June
  Crude throughput touches 2 lakh tonnes record at Calcutta's Halida oil jetty
  US halts oil output decline, but future shaky
  Mill consumption of cotton down
  Australian bulk grain handlers form alliance
  Bill aims to slow down EPA pesticide ban
  Cotton yarn production hit by high prices
  Texturing plant closures affect POY, PFY
  Cotton growers face grim prospects as imports soar
  Shippers diffident about cotton yarn exports prospects to quota countries
  Leather body moots quality-control plan
  Leather garments exports dip 13% in '98-99
  Karnataka goes for quality push in software engg
  Tougher edible oil import norms likely post-polls
  Monsoons to intensify in northern states