The rupee has slumped 14.2 percent from its highest point in 2011 hit late July and is the worst performer among major Asian currencies this year.

At 9:09 a.m. (0339 GMT), the partially convertible rupee was at 51.04/05 after hitting 51.12, its weakest since March 30, 2009. It had ended down 0.3 percent on Thursday at 50.905/915.