Rupee Gains 23 Paise To 96.65, Softer Dollar And Crude Offer Relief

Mumbai: The Indian rupee rose 23 paise to 96.65 against the US dollar on October 9, benefiting from a weaker dollar and suspected intervention by the Reserve Bank of India. Lower crude oil prices provided additional relief, although foreign investor selling continued to negatively impact sentiment. The rupee opened at 96.74 in the interbank foreign exchange market before strengthening to 96.65.

The improvement followed a 13-paise decline on Thursday, when the currency closed at 96.88 against the dollar. Forex traders attributed the recovery to easing greenback pressure and potential central bank action, but cautioned that geopolitical uncertainty and persistent foreign fund outflows remained challenges for the currency.

The Sensex rebounded by 800 points, while the Nifty reclaimed 22,450, driven by strong performance in IT stocks. Meanwhile, the dollar index slipped 0.10 percent to 102.03, and Brent crude futures declined 1.09 percent to $103.14 a barrel. Traders noted that President Donald Trump's indication of an Iranian attack after the midterm elections improved sentiment, but broader geopolitical risks remained a concern for currency markets.

Anil Kumar Bhansali, Head of Treasury and Executive Director at Finrex Treasury Advisors, stated that strong dollar demand, high crude prices, and sustained foreign portfolio outflows kept dollar demand high among importers and oil marketing companies, suggesting that the rupee's early recovery would face ongoing challenges despite temporary relief from weaker international prices.

Equity markets rose despite net foreign institutional investor (FII) selling, with the Sensex at 71,876.10 and the Nifty at 22,310.40.