From India’s current account turning to surplus in Q4 FY26, to LPG consumption slumping amid supply disruptions linked to the West Asia war, a moderation in overseas investment commitments by Indian companies, the world experiencing its second warmest May on record, and a Mint survey highlighting gender gaps in investing habits—here is this week’s news in numbers.
Surplus narrows
India’s current account balance recorded a surplus of $7.1 billion in the final quarter of FY26, following deficits of about $14-15 billion in the preceding two quarters. The surplus, however, was lower than the $13.7 billion recorded in Q4 FY25, with its share in GDP narrowing to 0.7% from 1.4% a year earlier.
The turnaround in current account balance was supported by a rise in private transfer receipts. Remittance inflows increased to $41.2 billion in Q4 from $35.1 billion in the previous quarter.
Economists said the increase may have partly reflected precautionary transfers by overseas Indians in March 2026 amid heightened uncertainty caused by the West Asia war.
Consumption slumps
As the West Asia war crossed 100 days, India’s (LPG) consumption contracted for a third consecutive month. The decline comes amid disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz during the ongoing war.
According to the latest data from Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell, India’s LPG consumption declined 20.4% year-on-year to 2.13 million metric tonnes in May 2026 — the lowest level in five years.
The supply strain has pushed up domestic LPG cylinder prices by ₹89 since the beginning of the war, including a ₹29 increase announced earlier this week. With nearly 90% of its LPG requirements met through imports, India is grappling with one of its worst LPG supply crunch.
Overseas moderation
India’s outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) reduced to $4.5 billion in May 2026 from $8.8 billion in April, driven by a sharp decline in equity commitments, according to the latest data from Reserve Bank of India.
Despite the nearly 49% sequential decline, total outward investments remained about 35% higher than the $3.3 billion recorded during the same period a year earlier.
The steepest drop was recorded in equity commitments, which declined nearly 65% to $1.3 billion in May from $3.5 billion in April. Loan commitments also declined to $0.6 billion from $1.3 billion, while guarantees issued declined to $2.6 billion from nearly $4 billion during the same period.
Numbers talk
₹3.5 trillion: The sought by the Department of Fertilizers for FY27, double the current year’s allocation, to offset mounting losses faced by manufacturers as costs rise amid disruptions linked to the ongoing West Asia war, Mint reported.
197: The number of districts across India identified by the agriculture ministry as most vulnerable to the impact of , Press Trust of India (PTI) reported. The ministry said it has prepared state-wise contingency plans to help farmers prepare for possible weather-related disruptions.
96: The number of companies selected under the third round of the production-linked incentive (PLI) , with investment commitment of nearly ₹12,822 crore. The latest approvals are expected to attract fresh investments and create jobs.
₹8,795 crore: The amount invested by foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) in government securities under the (FAR) since the government exempted them from income tax on interest income and capital gains from these bonds.
₹4,703 crore: The value of infrastructure projects approved by the Union Cabinet for the second phase of and new government office and residential complexes in Amaravati.
Scorching May
May 2026 was the second warmest May on record, marked by early and intense heatwaves across parts of the world and unusually high sea-surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean that signalled the onset of an El Niño event, according to the latest update from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).
The global average surface air temperature in May stood at 15.81°C, making it 0.55°C warmer than the 1991–2020 average and 1.42°C above the pre-industrial benchmark of 1850–1900. The anomalies were second only to May 2024.
India, too, experienced above-normal temperatures, with several cities ranking among the world’s hottest locations during most of April and May.
Investment divide
The share of Indians who do not invest has fallen sharply over the past seven years, especially among those who are employed, according to a . However, gender disparity persists.
Among those who are employed in tier-3 cities, 21% of women said they don’t invest, compared with 16% of men. The difference was narrower in tier-1 and tier-2 cities.
Across generations, Gen Z exhibited the largest gender divide, with 17% of employed women not investing, compared to 13% men. The gap among millennials was much smaller at 12% and 10%, respectively. The findings are based on a survey conducted with YouGov India and Delhi-based think tank Centre for Policy Research.