Rupee closes marginally higher against US dollar
The rupee closed at 65.22 against US dollar, up 0.06% from its Thursday's close of 65.26
Mumbai: The Indian rupee on Friday closed marginally higher against US dollar, tracking gains in the local equity market.
The home currency closed at 65.22 against US dollar, up 0.06% from its Thursday’s close of 65.26. It opened at 65.33 a dollar.
Local equity markets gained for seven sessions in a row, its longest winning streak since November, on stable world markets, and robust domestic factory output data coupled with easing inflation.
Benchmark Sensex Index rose 0.27% or 91.52 points higher to 34192.65 points. Year to date, its up 0.5%.
The retail inflation slipped to a five-month low at 4.28% in March but was higher than 3.89% recorded in the same month last year. Core inflation rose to 5.4% year on year compared to 5.1-5.2% at the start of 2018.
Separately, industrial output growth slowed to 7.1% year on year in February from a revised 7.4% in January.
Yields on 10-year government bond stood at 7.429% from its previous close of 7.468%. Bond yields and prices move in opposite directions.
So far this year, the rupee has fallen 2%, while foreign investors have bought $1.92 billion and $504.60 million in equity and debt markets, respectively.
Asian currencies were trading mixed as traders weighed concern the US will strike Syria with a continued easing in trade tension.
Indonesian rupiah was up 0.14%, Thai baht 0.11%, Philippines peso 0.09%. However, Taiwan dollar was down 0.2%, China offshore 0.16%, South Korean won 0.11%, Malaysian ringgit 0.05%.
The dollar index, which measures the US currency’s strength against major currencies, was trading at 89.762, up 0.01% from its previous close of 89.751.
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