<p>The rupee closed flat on Thursday at 52.55/56 against the dollar after alternate bouts of selling and buying of the American currency. At the Interbank Foreign Exchange market, the rupee resumed slightly higher at 52.52/53 per dollar and moved in the range of 52.43 and 52.65, before ending at 52.55/56, little changed from its last close of 52.54/55. A forex player said the market witnesses dollar selling by banks and exporters even as there was month-end dollar demand from importers.
Bonds settle mixed
Government securities (G-sec) settled mixed on alternate bouts of buying and selling. The 9.15 per cent G-sec maturing in 2024 dropped further to Rs 103.46 from yesterday’s close of Rs 103.9350, while its yield firmed up to 8.69 per cent from 8.64 per cent. The 8.79 per cent
G-sec maturing in 2021 declined to Rs 100.8550 from Rs 101.0325, while its yield moved up to 8.66 per cent from 8.63 per cent. The 8.19 per cent G-sec maturing in 2020, the 8.24 per cent G-sec maturing in 2018 and the 8.28 per cent G-sec maturing in 2027 quoted lower at Rs 97.90, Rs 98.4025 and Rs 95.5550, respectively.
Call rate reacts downward
Call rate reacted downwards at the overnight call money market here on Thursday due to lack of demand from borrowing banks. The overnight call money rate finished lower at 8.1 per cent from yesterday’s level of 8.4 per cent. It moved in a range of 8.5 per cent and 8.1 per cent. The Reserve Bank of India under the Liquidity Adjustment Facility purchased securities worth Rs 1,19,320 crore from 54 bids at the one-day repo auction at a fixed rate of eight per cent and sold securities worth Rs 620 crore through two bids at the one-day reverse repo auction at a fixed rate of seven per cent.
