Overview
- The currency slipped 10 paise to 90.44 in early Friday trade after closing at 90.34 on Wednesday.
- Foreign exchange markets were shut on Thursday for the Mumbai municipal corporation elections.
- Traders cited persistent foreign fund outflows and a firm US dollar as key pressures, with US inflation data cooling hopes of an immediate Fed rate cut.
- Official figures showed the December 2025 trade deficit widened to USD 25.04 billion from USD 24.53 billion in November.
- Lower Brent crude near USD 63.54 and higher openings in Sensex and Nifty helped curb steeper losses, even as FIIs sold Rs 4,781.24 crore of equities on Wednesday.