Rupee gains 14 paise to 81.65 against U.S. dollar in early trade

The domestic unit opened at 81.72 against the dollar, then gained further ground to touch 81.65, registering a rise of 14 paise over its previous close

The rupee appreciated 14 paise to 81.65 against the U.S. dollar in early trade on Tuesday as the American currency retreated from its elevated levels.

Forex traders said foreign fund outflows and a muted trend in domestic equities weighed on the local unit and restricted the appreciation bias.

At the interbank foreign exchange, the domestic unit opened at 81.72 against the dollar, then gained further ground to touch 81.65, registering a rise of 14 paise over its previous close.

On Monday, the rupee depreciated by 5 paise to close at 81.79 against the U.S. dollar. Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, fell 0.24% to 107.57.

Experts believe the Indian rupee is expected to trade in a range-bound manner amid tracking strength of the American currency and cautiousness in the markets, as fears of a return to stricter COVID restriction measures in China weighed on Asian currencies.

Brent crude futures, the global oil benchmark, advanced 0.50% to $87.89 per barrel.

In the domestic equity market, the 30-share BSE Sensex was trading 52.74 points or 0.09% higher at 61,197.58. The broader NSE Nifty rose 13.25 points or 0.07% to 18,173.20.