Rupee closes weak at 45.74/76 per USD

Mumbai, May 24: The Indian currency today closed weak at 45.74/76 per US dollar from the last close of 45.54/55 yesterday, a dealer in the forex market said.

Earlier, rupee opened weak at 45.58/60 per US dollar, as compared to the last close of 45.51/52.

Rupee closed weak due to 249 points loss in the benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) fixed the reference rate at 45.73 per US dollar, which was 21 paise down as compared to Tuesday's level.

The six-month forward premia ended lower at 0.76 per cent from the previous close of 1.00 per cent.

The one-year forward premia, too, ended lower at 0.92 per cent from the previous close of 1.09 per cent.

The cross-currency closing rate for rupee against euro was 58.78 (58.54), which was 24 paise down; for pound sterling it was 86.02 (85.81), again 21 paise down and for the Japanese yen it was 40.82 (40.92), which was 10 paise up from the previous close.

UNI