RBI helps rupee outperform peers amid US election turmoil

Rupee There was little change on Thursday, similar to most days this month reserve Bank of IndiaThe hold on the currency helped it avoid pressure on its Asian counterparts due to the increasing chances of Donald Trump’s victory in the US election.

The rupee was at 84.0825 against the US dollar on Thursday and little changed week-on-week. Indian financial markets are closed on Friday.

It was a choppy month for Asian currencies, as prices on betting markets fell on speculation that Trump was more likely to win the November 5 election. Trump has vowed to impose a 10 percent tariff on imports from all countries and 60 percent on imports from China.

The offshore Chinese yuan fell to a 2-1/2 month low this week and is down 1.5 percent this month. Other Asian currencies fared worse, falling 3 percent to 5 percent.

The rupee has been helped by continued intervention by the RBI. The central bank has sold dollars almost every day in the last two weeks, which has not reduced the rupee’s slide and volatility.

Unlike other Asian currencies, the rupee’s 1-month volatility is less than 1 percent. The rise in the dollar index and rise in treasury yields have had no impact on the rupee.

equity outflow

The lack of volatility in the rupee is even more remarkable given that foreign investors are pulling money out of Indian equities at a record pace.

They pulled out about $11 billion on a net basis from Indian equities in October, a sharp U-turn from the inflow of $7 billion in September.

Anil Bhansali, head of treasury at Finrex Treasury Advisors, said the RBI is supplying dollars to finance foreign withdrawals.

He advised exporters to “wait and watch” after rupee crossed 84 and importers to hedge on decline in dollar/rupee pair.

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