RTRS:Indian rupee weakens tracking broad dollar rally; share gains limit fall
* Rupee ends at 61.74/75 per dlr vs 61.50/51 on Thursday
* Main share index hits all-time high; FII buying continues
* Traders to watch global cues for near-term direction
By Swati Bhat
MUMBAI, Nov 1 (Reuters) - The Indian rupee dropped to a
three-week low on Friday while also posting its biggest weekly
fall in two months as a sharp sell-off in the euro and broad
rally in the greenback hurt amid the absence of any fresh
domestic triggers.
The euro fell to a two-week low against the dollar on
Friday, extending losses into a fifth straight session as
slowing euro zone inflation bolstered expectations of looser
monetary policy from the European Central Bank.
The rupee which has been relatively stable over the last
couple of months after having seen as much as 20 percent fall to
a record low in late August has been boosted mainly by robust
foreign fund inflows into the stock market. Foreign funds have
bought $16.5 billion worth of shares so far this year.
India's benchmark BSE index surged to a record high
as blue chips rallied on the back of strong foreign buying.
"The huge fall in the euro and a rally in the dollar index
have pushed the rupee down today, but 62 is a psychological
level which will be a key," said Paresh Nayar, head of foreign
exchange and debt trading at First Bank Bank.
"The 61.20 support should hold for next week as well, but
the overall range could be wider," he added.
The partially convertible rupee closed at 61.74/75
per dollar compared with 61.50/51 on Thursday. Financial markets
will remain closed on Monday for a local holiday.
On the week, the rupee fell 0.5 percent, its biggest weekly
fall since the last week of August.
The index of the dollar against six major currencies
was up 0.4 percent.
Traders will monitor developments on the global front for
near-term cues as there is no data or event due on the domestic
front.
In the offshore non-deliverable forwards, the
one-month contract was at 61.36, while the three-month was at
63.38.
FACTORS TO WATCH
* Euro extends fall as expectations of ECB stimulus grow
* Asian stx wilt, Fed anxiety eclipses China optimism
* Foreign institutional investor flows
* For data on currency futures
DIARIES & DATA:
Indian Data Watch European diary
Indian diary US Diary