MUMBAI: The rupee could weaken beyond 45 per dollar early on Thursday, with domestic shares set to start lower and the U.S. unit notching gains overnight against major currencies.
At 0250 GMT, the MSCI index of Asian stocks ex-Japan was trading down 1.21 percent while the Nifty India stock futures traded in Singapore were 0.5 percent lower.
The dollar index was down 0.11 percent, but traders said that the currency was still much stronger than it was when the rupee closed on Wednesday.
The partially convertible rupee had ended at 44.9350/9450 per dollar on Wednesday after hitting 44.9850, its lowest since March 31, and 0.7 percent weaker than its 44.61/62 close on Tuesday.
The euro was pinned near one-year lows against the US dollar on Thursday, trying to find its footing after falling through key support levels as concerns about the sovereign debt crisis in the euro zone mounted.
