How is the Indian Rupee Performing Amid RBI Interventions?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- The Indian rupee rose for the second consecutive session.
- RBI interventions are crucial to currency stability.
- Volatility remains a key concern for market analysts.
- 89.20 is a critical level for the rupee's future performance.
- Foreign portfolio investments are shifting towards Indian equities.
New Delhi, Dec 22 (NationPress) The Indian rupee has appreciated for the second straight session on Monday, recovering from recent lows thanks to ongoing interventions by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
The currency began the day at 89.41 against the US dollar, climbing 24 paise after having closed at 89.65 on December 19.
Market analysts pointed out that volatility remains a key concern as the rupee makes a comeback, and the continuation of RBI actions alongside global dollar movements is vital in the near term.
Watchers of the currency market have identified 89.20 as a significant threshold, suggesting that a sustained dip below this level might lead to a decline toward the 88.50–88.30 range shortly.
The rupee’s recent increase could be bolstered by a narrower trade deficit in November and foreign portfolio investors shifting to buyers of Indian equities while selling dollars.
On Friday, the rupee had gained 0.67 percent in a single day, briefly surpassing the psychologically important 90-mark against the US dollar before retreating but still ranking as the top-performing currency among its Asian counterparts.
Persistent selling by foreign institutional investors (FIIs) weighed on the Indian rupee throughout November, while domestic investments provided support to equity markets, causing bond yields to rise.
India’s external balance showed improvement as the merchandise trade deficit shrank to $24.5 billion in November from a hefty $42 billion in October.
The surplus in services continued to provide a cushion for India’s external balance, as highlighted in the report.
In December, foreign portfolio investors were net sellers in nine out of eleven trading days. A report from Bank of Baroda indicated that the rupee may continue to experience volatility until a deal with the US is finalized, potentially by March 2026.
The Bank of Baroda report emphasized the significance of FIIs, spot interventions by the RBI, and movements in the forwards segment in explaining fluctuations in currency.
Daily current account flows, including IT receipts and remittance payments, as well as capital flows like foreign direct investment and external commercial borrowings, also influence the market, although these are not captured daily, limiting their direct impact on rupee fluctuations, the bank noted.