- The Indian Rupee struggles near all-time lows due to foreign selling in Indian equities.
- PM Modi is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the BRICS Summit.
- The Indian Rupee may hold ground if the RBI intervenes in the market by selling US Dollars.
The Indian Rupee (INR) holds steady against the US Dollar (USD) on Tuesday, bolstered by the potential for market interventions from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) that have helped the INR weather equity outflows and the dollar’s strength.
However, ongoing foreign selling continues to exert pressure on the INR, while concerns over the Middle East conflict have impacted risk-sensitive currencies. Foreign outflows from Indian equities are likely to persist as investors shift funds from India to China, attracted by the recent stimulus measures and relatively lower valuations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has left for Russia to participate in the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan. During the visit, Modi is scheduled to engage in bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He is also expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and hold discussions with leaders from the other BRICS member countries.
Daily Digest Market Movers: Indian Rupee receives downward pressure from foreign outflows
- The US Dollar (USD) gained support following a surge in US Treasury yields, which climbed over 2% on Monday. This rise was fueled by signs of economic resilience and growing concerns about a potential resurgence of inflation in the United States, reinforcing expectations of tighter monetary policy.
- According to the CME FedWatch Tool, the likelihood of a 25-basis-point rate cut in November is 89.1%, with no expectation of a larger 50-basis-point cut.
- Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis President Neel Kashkari highlighted on Monday that the Fed is closely monitoring the US labor market for signs of rapid destabilization. Kashkari cautioned investors to anticipate a gradual pace of rate cuts over the coming quarters, suggesting that any monetary easing will likely be moderate rather than aggressive.
- Foreign institutional investors have sold approximately $10 billion worth of Indian stocks in October so far, surpassing the previous record monthly outflow of $8.35 billion set in March 2020, according to a Reuters report.
- The Reserve Bank of India stated in its October bulletin that aggregate demand in India is expected to rebound from the temporary slowdown observed in the second quarter, driven by a surge in festive demand and an increase in consumer confidence.
Technical Analysis: USD/INR remains above 84.00, close to all-time highs
The USD/INR pair trades around 84.10 on Tuesday. An analysis of the daily chart indicates that the pair is consolidating within an ascending channel pattern, suggesting a bullish bias. The 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) remains above the 50 level, further confirming the prevailing bullish momentum.
In terms of resistance, the USD/INR pair may face a hurdle at its all-time high of 84.14, reached on August 5, followed by the upper boundary of the ascending channel at the 84.20 level.
On the downside, immediate support appears at the nine-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) around 84.01 level, which aligns with the lower boundary of the ascending channel near the psychological level of 84.00.
USD/INR: Daily Chart
US Dollar PRICE Today
The table below shows the percentage change of US Dollar (USD) against listed major currencies today. US Dollar was the strongest against the Canadian Dollar.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | -0.11% | -0.18% | -0.03% | -0.02% | -0.42% | -0.40% | -0.15% | |
| EUR | 0.11% | -0.06% | 0.10% | 0.07% | -0.34% | -0.28% | -0.04% | |
| GBP | 0.18% | 0.06% | 0.16% | 0.15% | -0.27% | -0.23% | 0.02% | |
| JPY | 0.03% | -0.10% | -0.16% | -0.00% | -0.40% | -0.40% | -0.13% | |
| CAD | 0.02% | -0.07% | -0.15% | 0.00% | -0.39% | -0.38% | -0.13% | |
| AUD | 0.42% | 0.34% | 0.27% | 0.40% | 0.39% | 0.02% | 0.27% | |
| NZD | 0.40% | 0.28% | 0.23% | 0.40% | 0.38% | -0.02% | 0.25% | |
| CHF | 0.15% | 0.04% | -0.02% | 0.13% | 0.13% | -0.27% | -0.25% |
The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the US Dollar from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the Japanese Yen, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent USD (base)/JPY (quote).
RBI FAQs
The role of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), in its own words, is “..to maintain price stability while keeping in mind the objective of growth.” This involves maintaining the inflation rate at a stable 4% level primarily using the tool of interest rates. The RBI also maintains the exchange rate at a level that will not cause excess volatility and problems for exporters and importers, since India’s economy is heavily reliant on foreign trade, especially Oil.
The RBI formally meets at six bi-monthly meetings a year to discuss its monetary policy and, if necessary, adjust interest rates. When inflation is too high (above its 4% target), the RBI will normally raise interest rates to deter borrowing and spending, which can support the Rupee (INR). If inflation falls too far below target, the RBI might cut rates to encourage more lending, which can be negative for INR.
Due to the importance of trade to the economy, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) actively intervenes in FX markets to maintain the exchange rate within a limited range. It does this to ensure Indian importers and exporters are not exposed to unnecessary currency risk during periods of FX volatility. The RBI buys and sells Rupees in the spot market at key levels, and uses derivatives to hedge its positions.
