The Indian rupee on Monday appreciated by 35 paise to close at a two weeks high against the US currency due to persistent selling pressure of dollar from exporters and banks after weakness in the greenback in global markets.
At the Interbank Foreign Exchange (forex), the dome stic currency closed at 46.45/46 a dollar, a gain of 35 paise over the previous closing. It moved in a range of 46.36 and 46.65 during the day.
The rupee has gained by 95 paise or two per cent in last four sessions.
Dealers said exporters sold dollars after the American currency came under pressure in overseas markets. The dollar weakened in overseas market after the G-20 meeting and US jobs data that did little to alter the view that US interest rates that will stay low for some time, offering investors little incentive to buy the currency.
The rupee also drew support from heavy FII inflows into equity market in the last few months.
The Indian benchmark Sensex on Monday advanced further by 340.44 points or 2.11 per cent after the Prime Minister said on Sunday that his government would steadily pursue reforms to feed economic growth, while withdrawing the fiscal stimulus by next year.
Meanwhile, crude oil prices rose in London to $79 per barrel.
The Reserve Bank of India fixed the reference rate for the US dollar at Rs 46.58 and for the euro at Rs 69.58. Rupee premiums on the forward dollar continued to rule easy on sustained receiving by exporters.
The benchmark six-month forward dollar premium payable in April ended down at 57-1/2-58-1/2 paise from 58-60 paise on last Friday and far-forwards maturing in October also finished lower at 120-1/2-121-1/2 paise from 121-1/2-123-1/2 paise previously.
In cross-currency trade, the domestic currency declined against the pound sterling and the Japanese yen but ruled steady against the Euro.
The rupee moved down against the pound to finish at Rs 78.04/06 per pound from its last weekend's close of Rs 77.74/76 per pound while it closed steady against the Euro at 69.62/64.
The rupee eased against the Japanese yen to finish at Rs 51.66/68 per 100 yen from its last close of Rs 51.64/66 per 100 yen.
Source : ndtv.com