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Rupee Opens 2026 Near 90 to the Dollar After Year of Strain

Persistent foreign outflows kept pressure on the currency despite high reserves.

Overview

  • The rupee slipped 11 paise to 89.99 per US dollar in early trade on January 1, extending a 2025 slide that saw fresh record lows near 91.
  • Foreign portfolio investors pulled sizeable funds through 2025, and official data cited by PTI showed net FDI turned negative over January–October.
  • The Reserve Bank of India sold dollars to steady the market, including a net $11.9 billion in October and interventions in December.
  • Despite intervention, India’s foreign exchange reserves rose to about $688.94 billion in the third week of December, aided by higher gold holdings and onshoring.
  • The rupee also weakened more against the euro, pound and yen in 2025, even as export momentum improved and domestic mutual-fund inflows supported markets.