Dollar demand weighs on Rupee

MARKETS REPORT

Forex market

Outlook: The rupee is expected to open between 45.63 and 45.67 against the greenback on Monday.

Sentiment: Bearish

• The rupee opened at 45.50/52 per dollar but ended lower at 45.68/69 as foreign banks bought greenbacks to play arbitrage in the non-deliverable forwards market.
• Premium on forward dollars widened with increased demand for dollars from importers. Annualised premiums on six-month and one-year premiums closed at 0.59 per cent and 0.53 per cent respectively.

Money market

Sentiment: Bearish

• Government security prices slid as mutual funds and primary dealers went on a selling spree after the headline inflation rate was announced higher at 5.5 per cent.
• Prices of long-term gilts fell by more than one rupee, while those of short- and medium-term paper moved up by 60 paise and 35 paise respectively.
• The yield on the ten-year benchmark gilt, 7.37 per cent 2014, closed at 5.48 per cent, compared with 5.39 per cent on Thursday.
• Call money rates ended at 4.25-4.30 per cent.
  
• Subscriptions at the repo window stood at Rs 9,000 crore.