Rupee Rises 1 Paisa to Close at 86.36 vs US Dollar

Mumbai, Mar 20 (PTI) The rupee stayed firm and appreciated 1 paisa to close at 86.36 (provisional) against the US dollar on Thursday supported by positive domestic equities.

Forex traders said the Indian rupee has staged a counterattack against external pressures, gaining support from strong foreign inflows into debt markets.

However, risks remain due to unabated foreign institutional investor sell-off, and uncertainty surrounding Trump's tariff stance could pose challenges to the rupee's upward momentum.

At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 86.39 then touched an intraday high of 86.20 and a low of 86.41 against the greenback. The unit ended the session at 86.36 (provisional) against the dollar, registering a gain of 1 paisa from its previous closing level.

On Wednesday, the rupee appreciated 19 paise to close at 86.37 against the US dollar.

This is the fifth straight session of gain for the rupee, during which it has added 87 paise.

Forex traders further said Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has made it clear that the US central bank is prepared to keep rates elevated if inflation remains stubborn and the cautious stance suggests that while rate cuts are on the horizon, the Fed will remain data-dependent -- leaving room for surprises.

Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.46 per cent higher at 103.90.

Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, rose 0.10 per cent to USD 70.85 per barrel in futures trade.

In the domestic equity market, the 30-share BSE Sensex surged 899.01 points, or 1.19 per cent, to settle at 76,348.06, while the Nifty advanced 283.05 points, or 1.24 per cent, to close at 23,190.65 points.

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 1,096.50 crore on a net basis on Wednesday, according to exchange data.

Meanwhile, the RBI March Bulletin released on Wednesday said sound fiscal policies, a well-calibrated monetary framework, and digital transformation initiatives are expected to provide a strong foundation for long-term sustainable economic growth.

It also said that macroeconomic fundamentals remain strong, and economic growth is poised to sustain momentum driven by robust domestic demand, steady investment activity, and ongoing policy-driven infrastructure development along with a pick-up in government spending.