Gross Domestic Product continued its downward spiral for the seventh consecutive quarter, falling to 4.5 per cent in the second quarter (July-September) of the year 2019-20. This is a fall of 0.5 per cent points compared to the last quarter. Compared to the second quarter of the year 2018-19, it is a fall of 2.6 per cent points. In the second quarter of the previous year, the GDP growth stood at 7.1 per cent.

The GDP growth seen in the last quarter was slowest in more than six years. The previous low was recorded at 4.3 per cent in the final quarter (January-March) of 2012-13.

The GDP numbers were released along with the data for the eight core infrastructure industries, which showed output delcineing by 5.8 per cent in October. As many as six of eight core industries saw a contraction in output in October. Coal was the worst hit, declining steeply by 17.6 per cent.