Rupee endures sharpest fall in over a month as Brent crude barrels towards $100

India's rupee experienced its steepest decline in over a month on Tuesday, driven by a surge in oil prices that reached near $100 a barrel. The ongoing Iran conflict heightened concerns about potential disruptions to energy supply. Tensions escalated following attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on energy facilities in Saudi Arabia, and Tehran's threat of "economic warfare" against the United States.

The rupee weakened to 94.8175 per dollar by the session's end, marking a 0.35% drop from its previous close. State-run banks' dollar sales, likely on behalf of the Reserve Bank of India, provided some relief but did not stabilize the currency. Central bank interventions had previously helped the rupee reach a two-month high, but the recent rally encountered resistance due to rising oil prices and high hedging demand from importers.

Other emerging market currencies also suffered, with the Thai baht and South African Rand falling by around 0.4%. Asian stocks declined, pushing MSCI's regional stock gauge down about 1%. Mumbai equities slipped 0.6%. Analysts anticipate ongoing volatility in foreign exchange markets influenced by oil prices and the anticipated U.S. Federal Reserve rate hike.

A significant U.S. consumer inflation report is scheduled for release on Friday. According to ING, the bullish outlook for the dollar remains robust, though the U.S. CPI data poses a risk event.