Rupee closes weaker by four paise at 45.15 per USD

Mumbai, Apr 21: Rupee closed weaker by two to three paise at 45.15 per US dollar as compared to the previous close of 45.11/12, according a foreign exchange (forex) dealer here.

Earlier, rupee today opened flat at 45.12/14 per US dollar against the previous close of 45.11/12, said a foreign exchange (forex) dealer here.

Trading in a range, the Indian unit firmed up to 45.11/12 in the mid-morning session around 1130 hrs.

Crude oil price softened in the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) trading at 71.95 in the morning, which was still not a comfortable level for the domestic currency.

Meanwhile, the Bombay Stock Exchange Sensitive Index (Sensex) dipped sharply in the afternoon to 11,860 level but bounced back and closed at 12,030 points.

Sensex traded 19 points lower at 12,019 around 1130 hrs which might not impact rupee so much.

An outflow of Rs 201.10 crore in the equity markets on Wednesday, according to market regulator SEBI, also weakened rupee.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reference rate for the rupee versus US dollar was at 45.09, six paise up from the previous close.

The six-month forward premia ended higher at 1.03 per cent, as compared to previous close at 1.02 per cent.

The one-year forward premia also ended higher at 1.05 per cent, as compared to the last close at 1.04 per cent.

The cross-currency closing rate for the rupee against the euro was 55.58(55.61), which was three paise down, for pound sterling it was 80.29 (80.34), which was five paise down and for the Japanese yen it was 38.48 (38.30), which was 18 paise up from the previous close.

UNI