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The rupee appreciated 14 paise to 86.50 against the U.S. dollar in early trade on Friday (February 21, 2025), fuelled by the broad weakening of the US dollar, which faced downward pressure from lackluster economic data.
Forex traders said rupee is expected to trade with a slight negative bias on weak domestic equities and foreign fund outflows. However, overall weakness in crude oil prices may cushion sharp downside.
At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 86.50 against the greenback, up 14 paise from its previous close.
On Thursday, the rupee appreciated 34 paise to close at 86.64 against the U.S. dollar.
“The dollar’s weakness created a favourable environment for the Indian rupee,” CR Forex Advisors MD – Amit Pabari said, adding that “India’s robust real yield of 2.39% attracted capital, supported by the Reserve Bank of India’s proactive interventions”.
Investors will await cues from the minutes of the RBI’s monetary policy meeting, that is expected to provide further insights into economic trends and could influence the rupee’s trajectory in the coming days, Pabari added.
Meanwhile, the U.S. dollar index, which gauges the greenback’s strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.04% higher at 106.41.
“The U.S. dollar index saw a decline below key 106.50 mark as recent economic indicators pointed to a slowdown in the U.S. economy. With the Philadelphia Manufacturing Index a key gauge of manufacturing activity, plummeted from 44.3 to 18.1 in February, signalling a sharp contraction in the sector,” Pabari said.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, fell 0.03% to $76.46 per barrel in futures trade.
“The USD/INR pair is expected to face a strong resistance at 86.80 while 86.50 is acting as a critical support zone, A breach below 86.50 could open up path for 85.80-86.00 levels,” he added.
In the domestic equity market, the 30-share BSE Sensex was trading 281.79 points, or 0.37%, lower at 75,454.17 points, while the Nifty was down 96.75 points, or 0.42%, at 22,816.40 points.
Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth ₹3,311.55 crore on net basis on Thursday, according to exchange data.
Meanwhile, Moody’s Analytics on Thursday said India’s growth will slow to 6.4% in 2025, from 6.6% in 2024, as new U.S. tariffs and softening global demand weigh on exports.
In its report titled ‘Asia-Pacific Outlook: Chaos Ahead’, Moody’s Analytics said growth across the Asia-Pacific economy will slow in 2025 as trade tensions, policy shifts, and uneven recoveries knock the region’s fortunes.
Published – February 21, 2025 10:43 am IST
