Rupee swings on Fed, oil, RBI defence and record dollar inflows
Fed hawkishness, high oil and Middle East tensions Early in the quarter, a hawkish US Federal Reserve under Chair Warsh, Brent crude above $95, and Middle East tensions pushed USD/INR to two-month highs, as higher oil prices and safe-haven demand boosted the dollar.
This explains the initial upward pressure on the dollar-rupee pair.
RBI dollar sales and record FX deposits The RBI sold about $7 billion and attracted nearly $32 billion in foreign-currency deposits, while strong remittances added dollars, helping to cap the rupee's losses and support the currency.
This shows the main counterforce that limited the rupee's decline.
Inflation worries and gold import curb India's June inflation at 4.38% raised rate-hike expectations, with HSBC warning it could exceed 5% for eight months. Later, Modi urged cutting gold imports as the trade deficit hit $32 billion, weighing on the rupee.
This highlights domestic inflation and trade deficit pressures that influenced the pair.
RBI rate hike and fading Fed bets lift rupee The RBI drained liquidity and delivered its first rate hike in about four years, to 5.5%, while fading Fed hike bets weakened the dollar, strengthening the rupee to around 96.25–96.37.
This captures the late-quarter shift that drove the rupee stronger.