Rupee depriciates 1 paisa to 83.15 against US dollar in early trade

The rupee slipped 1 paisa to 83.15 against the US dollar in early trade on Thursday amid rising crude oil prices and withdrawal of foreign funds.

Despite a weak American currency against major overseas rivals, negative sentiment in domestic equity markets kept the Indian currency under pressure, forex traders said.

At the interbank foreign exchange, the domestic currency opened at 83.16 and inched up to 83.15 against the greenback in morning deals and traded at a loss of 1 paisa over its previous close.

On Wednesday, the rupee settled 2 paise lower at 83.14 against the US dollar.

Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.16 per cent lower at 103.04 on Thursday.

Analysts said the dollar retreated after the US data released on Wednesday showed more than expected increase in retail sales, dashing financial market's hope of interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve.

Brent crude futures, the global oil benchmark, went up 0.24 per cent to USD 78.07 per barrel.

In the domestic equity market, the 30-share BSE Sensex was trading 381.69 points, or 0.53 per cent, lower at 71,119.07. The broader NSE Nifty declined 131.35 points, or 0.61 per cent, to 21,440.60.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net sellers in the equity market on Wednesday as they sold shares worth Rs 10,578.13 crore, according to exchange data.