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MUMBAI (Reuters) - The rupee was weaker in afternoon trade on Friday as shares extended losses to more than 1.7 percent pushing up dollar demand from some custodian banks, but a drop in the dollar index curbed a further fall.
* At 1:10 p.m., the partially convertible rupee was at 49.35/36 per dollar, off a high of 49.22, its strongest since Feb. 17. It closed at 49.28/29 on Thursday.
* The BSE Sensex was trading down 1.7 percent, as political uncertainties ahead of the general election results next week kept investors skittish, after the market had jumped more than half from its low in March.
* The dollar index, a gauge of the U.S. unit's performance versus six majors, was down 0.2 percent, preventing a sharp fall in the rupee.
* In the currency futures market, the most traded near-month contract on the National Stock Exchange and MCX-SX were both quoting at 49.40, with the total traded volume on both exchanges at about $475 million.
