Currency watch: Rupee falls 13 paise to all-time low of 88.81 against US dollar; FII outflows, dollar strength weigh

The Indian rupee fell 13 paise to close at an all-time low of 88.81 against the US dollar on Tuesday, pressured by weak domestic equities and a firm dollar amid global risk-off sentiment, according to market sources.Forex traders said foreign fund outflows amid risk-averse global conditions further dented investor sentiment. However, a drop in crude oil prices and reports of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) intervention supported the local unit and curtailed sharper losses, PTI reported.At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 88.73 against the greenback, touched an intraday low of 88.82, and a high of 88.73 before settling at 88.81, down from the previous close of 88.68. On September 30, the rupee had touched 88.80, its previous all-time low.“The rupee… [was] pressured by broad-based dollar strength and weaker regional currencies. Sentiment remains fragile amid US-China trade uncertainty and risk-averse moods. However, the rupee has demonstrated resilience, consolidating in a narrow range over the past two weeks due to central bank intervention and foreign fund inflows. Near-term, spot USD/INR finds support at 88.50 and faces resistance at 89.10,” said Dilip Parmar, Senior Research Analyst, HDFC Securities.The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.10 per cent higher at 99.36. Brent crude futures fell 2.15 per cent to USD 61.99 per barrel.Experts noted that US-India trade tariffs remain a concern for investor sentiment. A senior official said a team of Indian officials will visit the US this week for trade talks, with the first tranche of a proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) aimed for conclusion between October and November 2025. Five rounds of negotiations have been completed so far.“A weak tone in global crude oil prices and FII inflows may favour the rupee. The US government shutdown and rising odds of a rate cut by the US Federal Reserve may further weigh on the US Dollar. USD/INR spot price is expected to trade in a range of 88.50 to 89,” said Anuj Choudhary, Research Analyst, Currency and Commodities, Mirae Asset ShareKhan, PTI quoted.On the domestic data front, India’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation eased to an eight-year low of 1.54 per cent in September from 2.07 per cent in August, falling below the RBI’s 2 per cent target. Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation also cooled to 0.13 per cent in September from 0.52 per cent in August.Domestic equities also fell, with the Sensex dropping 297.07 points to 82,029.98 and the Nifty declining 81.85 points to 25,145.50. Foreign Institutional Investors sold equities worth Rs 1,508.53 crore on Tuesday, exchange data showed.