MUMBAI: The Indian rupee is expected to open mostly unchanged to marginally higher on Wednesday, amid a pause in the recent U.S. dollar selloff and a lull in tariff-related headlines.
The 1-month non-deliverable forward indicated that the rupee will open at 85.74-85.78 to the U.S. dollar compared with 85.7725 in the previous session.
The rupee has seen choppy price action in recent sessions, pulled in opposite directions by importer demand and a broadly softer U.S. dollar. After briefly touching a high of 84.96, the rupee weakened to 86.70 due to dollar buying by importers.
A currency trader at a bank said that the dollar’s outlook remains weak and he prefers selling USD/INR on rallies.
“I would be looking to play the 85.50–86.50 range,” with risks equally balanced, the trader said.
Indian rupee likely to inch up, dollar drifts amid US tariffs crosswinds
Following last week’s excessive cross-asset moves, markets have started the week on a calmer note. The U.S. Treasury market, equities, and the dollar have shown signs of stabilizing, though analysts caution that the subdued volatility may be short-lived.
Attention will be on the U.S. investigation into whether imports of pharmaceuticals and semiconductors pose national security risks, a move that has revived concerns about fresh tariffs.
“The fear is that the findings may lead to new tariffs,” ANZ Bank said in a note.
On Wednesday, traders will look to U.S. retail sales data for signals on the health of the world’s biggest economy and a speech from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.
Comments