Rupee falls for 5th day; importers' dollar demand

By Subhadip Sircar

MUMBAI (Reuters) - The rupee fell to a near nine-week low on Tuesday, extending its losses for a fifth session, on the back of continued greenback demand from importers amidst a strengthening U.S. currency in global markets.

Traders also attribute the rupee's weakness to the return of state-run oil refiners, which are now sourcing part of their dollar needs in markets and not through the special window provided by the central bank in late August.

The tapering of the central bank oil window will provide a test of fire for the rupee, since it comes at a time when sturdier data from the United States and a rate cut from the European Central Bank have led to a bout of global dollar strength.

"The dollar's strength is generally due to demand from everybody including importers, foreign banks, FIIs and nationalised banks. There are hardly any supplies expect from state-run banks," said Anil Kumar Bhansali, vice president at Meclai Financial.

The partially convertible rupee closed at 63.71/72 per dollar, compared with 63.24/25 on Monday, its lowest close in two month. It fell to an intra-day low of 63.84, its lowest since September 13.

The rupee has weakened 3.3 percent in the last five sessions since the start of the oil window taper talk.

In the offshore non-deliverable forwards, the one-month contract was at 64.51, while the three-month was at 65.70.

(Editing by Anand Basu)