The question asks for the term describing a persistent fall in the general price level of goods and services.
Therefore, a persistent fall in the general price level is correctly identified as deflation.
With respect to inflation in the Indian context, consider the following statements:
1. Retail inflation, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), is the primary metric used by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for monetary policy formulation.
2. Core inflation includes volatile components like food and fuel prices, providing a more stable measure of underlying inflationary pressures.
3. Supply-side factors, such as monsoons affecting agricultural output and global crude oil prices, play a significant role in India's inflation dynamics.
4. Headline inflation refers to the total inflation in an economy, including volatile components such as food and energy prices.
Which of the above statements are correct?