The Indian rupee opened 21 paise lower on May 18 to a fresh all-time low, as oil prices traded above $110 per barrel and fresh geopolitical tensions in West Asia signalled a deterioration in the situation, denting investor appetite.
The local currency was trading at Rs 96.17 per dollar, as compared to Rs 95.96 per dollar in the previous trading session. The rupee breached the psychological level of Rs 96 per dollar for the first time on Friday. Brent crude prices jumped more than 1 percent overnight to trade at $111 per barrel, after a nuclear plant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was attacked, and further efforts to come up with a peace deal with the United States and Iran came under jeopardy. Also, there was no notable outcome in the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping.Additionally, a rise in the US dollar following strong economic data from the US has dented sentiment for emerging market assets, including the rupee.“Only a stoppage of the war and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz can bring about a lower demand on the dollar/rupee pair, or else Rs 100 per dollar could be on the cards if the RBI does not announce any schemes to increase dollar inflows into the country,” analysts from Finrex Treasury Advisors said.The rupee has already been under pressure from stubbornly high oil prices and outflows from foreign investors. High Brent crude prices increase the country's import bill and widen the current account deficit.
Report by Archishma Iyer, Network18


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