Rupee pares initial losses, settles 2 paise up at 74.40 against USD
The Hindu
The dollar index advanced 0.22% to 96.70
The rupee recovered its initial losses and settled 2 paisa up at 74.40 (provisional) against the U.S. dollar on Wednesday, ahead of the release of the minutes of the latest Federal Reserve meeting.
At the interbank forex market, the local unit opened on a weak note at 74.53 against the greenback and witnessed an intra-day high of 74.31 and a low of 74.54.
It finally ended at 74.40 against the American currency, registering a gain of just 2 paise over its previous close of 74.42.

The latest Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) by MoS&PI reveals a transformative shift in India’s economic landscape. For the first time in over a decade, granular data on Monthly Per Capita Expenditure (MPCE) highlights a significant decline in the proportional share of food spending—a classic validation of Engel’s Law as real incomes rise. Between 1999 and 2024, both rural and urban consumption pivoted away from staple-heavy diets toward protein-rich foods, health, education, and conveyance. As Indian households move beyond subsistence, these shifting Indian household spending patterns offer vital insights for social sector policy, poverty estimation, and the lived realities of an expanding middle-income population.












