The Reserve Bank of India reported net liquidity absorption of ₹1,34,268 crore through the day’s operations, led by ₹1,44,678 crore parked under the Standing Deposit Facility. Scheduled commercial banks held ₹8,43,207.56 crore in cash balances with the RBI.
BKK Bureau, New Delhi | 19 October 2026 | 3:01 PM IST
The Reserve Bank of India absorbed ₹1,34,268 crore through its liquidity operations on October 18, 2026, according to the central bank’s money-market operations statement. The figure reflects the difference between ₹10,410 crore availed under the Marginal Standing Facility and ₹1,44,678 crore placed with the RBI under the Standing Deposit Facility.
The one-day MSF operation was conducted at a rate of 5.75% and was scheduled to mature on October 19. The one-day SDF operation carried a rate of 5.25% and was also due to mature on October 19. The RBI’s statement classifies the resulting net liquidity position from the day’s operations as an absorption of ₹1,34,268 crore.
The statement showed no transactions in the listed overnight money-market segments for the day. Volumes for call money, triparty repo, market repo and repo in corporate bonds were each recorded at zero. The term segment also showed zero volumes across notice money, term money, triparty repo, market repo and corporate-bond repo.
Several earlier operations remained outstanding. Reverse-repo operations included ₹18,170 crore auctioned on October 9 for 10 days and ₹38,655 crore auctioned on October 8 for 29 days. Both carried a current rate of 5.49% and were scheduled to mature on October 19 and November 6, respectively.
Outstanding MSF operations included ₹177 crore auctioned on October 17 for two days at 5.75%, maturing on October 19. An operation dated October 16 showed an amount of zero. Outstanding SDF operations included ₹2,292 crore from October 17 and ₹1,141 crore from October 16, both at 5.25% and scheduled to mature on October 19.
The RBI also reported ₹8,476.05 crore availed through its Standing Liquidity Facility. Including outstanding operations, the net liquidity position was an absorption of ₹51,604.95 crore before the day’s operations were added. After including the October 18 activity, total net liquidity absorption stood at ₹1,85,872.95 crore.
Scheduled commercial banks’ cash balances with the RBI stood at ₹8,43,207.56 crore as on October 18. The average daily cash reserve requirement for the fortnight ending October 31 was ₹8,33,309 crore. On the figures reported, cash balances were ₹9,898.56 crore above the stated average daily requirement.
The government’s surplus cash balance reckoned for auction was reported at zero as on October 16. Separately, the RBI recorded net durable liquidity of ₹10,14,401 crore as a surplus as on September 30. The statement notes that the money-market data is based on RBI and Clearing Corporation of India Limited information, and that net liquidity is calculated using repo, MSF, SLF, reverse-repo and SDF positions.
Why it matters
The data provides an official snapshot of liquidity conditions in India’s banking and money markets on October 18. It shows the scale of funds placed with and borrowed from the RBI through its standing facilities, the cash position of scheduled commercial banks relative to the reserve requirement, and the combined effect of current and outstanding operations on system liquidity.
Why it matters
The RBI’s statement records the scale and direction of liquidity operations, banks’ cash balances against the reserve requirement, and outstanding central-bank facilities. These figures are relevant to tracking day-to-day money-market conditions and the RBI’s liquidity-management operations.
Source: Reserve Bank of India
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