Rupee down 3 paise against US dollar in early trade

Mumbai, Feb 9 (PTI) The Indian rupee fell by 3 paise toRs 45.33 per US dollar in early trade on the Interback ForeignExchange today, snapping weighed down by a weak opening in thestock market.

Dealers said the rupee weakness was due to a loweropening in the stock market and some demand for theAmerican currency. However, dollar depreciation against otherAsian currencies capped the rupee''s losses.

The rupee had appreciated by 18 paise against the UScurrency to close at three-week high of Rs 45.30/31 yesterdayon sustained dollar-selling by exporters and banks amidweakness of the greenback overseas.

Meanwhile, the Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensexfell by 134.44 points, or 0.76 per cent, to 17,641.26 inopening trade today.