RBI Pauses Repo Rate, Boosts GDP Forecast; Bitcoin Crashes, Rio Tinto-Glencore Deal Off

• RBI's MPC kept the repo rate unchanged at 5.25% for the third time, maintaining a 'neutral' stance, while projecting FY26 inflation at 2.1%.
• The RBI raised India's GDP growth forecast for FY26 to 7.4% and proposed increasing the collateral-free MSME loan cap to ₹20 lakh.
• RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra announced a new unified portal for streamlined bank data management and reporting.
• The India-US trade deal excludes key agricultural products like wheat, rice, soya, and dairy to protect Indian farmers.
• Bitcoin prices crashed below $64,000, wiping out gains since Donald Trump's 2024 election; Rio Tinto and Glencore abandoned their $200 billion merger plan.