The rupee should weaken for a second consecutive session on Thursday, following a slide in the euro and lower Asian equities.
* Traders will be watching the central bank's policy at around noon (0630 GMT), with expectations for a 25 basis point increase in rates, and how it impacts the stock markets.
* Oil slid more than 4% on Wednesday, as signs of further economic weakness fed demand worries and a rising dollar weighed, triggering technical sell stops and sending US crude to its lowest since February.
* The fall in global oil prices may provide some solace for rupee as oil refiners are the largest buyers of dollars in domestic currency market.
* The dollar held at three-week highs against a basket of major currencies in Asia on Thursday, having staged its biggest rally in 10 months on a wave of short covering as concerns over Greece's debt crisis hammered the euro.
* At 0307 GMT, the euro was at USD 1.4194, against USD 1.4307 at end of local forex trade on Wednesday and the index of the dollar against six major currencies was at 75.488 points from 74.953.
* The MSCI index of Asian stocks ex-Japan was down 1.53% and the Nifty India stock futures traded in Singapore were nearly 1% down, indicating a weak start for local shares.
* Traders expect the rupee to open around 44.86/87 per dollar and move in 44.75-44.98 band. It had ended weaker on Wednesday at 44.77/78.
