MARKET TRIGGERS

India's industrial production growth dropped sharply to 3% in March 2008, slowing from the previous month's unrevised 8.6%, government data showed on Monday, 12 May 2008. It was the slowest annual growth since a 2.4% rise in February 2002.

Manufacturing production rose 2.9% in March 2008 from a year earlier, compared with 8.6% growth in February 2008. Industrial output rose 8.1% in 2007/08 compared with 11.6% in 2006/07.

Meanwhile, the Left parties may reportedly issue another warning soon to the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government following the failure of the government to stem burgeoning prices and its efforts to operationalise the Indo-US nuclear deal. The Left parties are slated to meet on 23 May 2008, six days ahead of their ninth round of deliberations with the UPA on the nuclear issue.