The rupee also faced pressure as demand for the safe-haven dollar increased after US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell clarified that there were no immediate signs of a sharp cut in benchmark interest rates due to the strength of the economy.
The currency gained 0.06% from its previous close of 84.49 per dollar, LSEG data showed. The dollar index, which was at a two-year high of 108.09, strengthened as the euro and British pound retreated on weak economic data from Germany and the UK.
“With the dollar index and US yields strong, I do not expect the rupee to gain much from here. For Monday, I expect the rupee to range between 84.30 and 84.60/$1,” said Anil Bhansali, head of treasury at Finrex Treasury Advisors.
So far in November, the local currency has weakened about 0.5% as foreign investors sold $4 billion from Indian stocks and bonds, depository data showed.
Uncertainty over the rate of tapering by the US Fed in December has further prompted foreign investors to withdraw funds from emerging markets such as India, boosting safe-haven demand for the greenback.
According to CME’s FedWatch tool, the probability of a 25 basis point rate cut by the US Fed is 60%.
A basis point is one hundredth of a percentage point.
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