Rupee gains four paise vs dollar

Mumbai, Dec 24 (PTI) The rupee Friday ended higher by
four paise at 45.12/13 against the US currency on dollar
selling by corporates and banks amid uncertainty over the
greenback in the overseas markets.
Dealers were reluctant to make large-scale transactions
due to macro-economic worries caused by a rise in crude oil
prices to above USD 91 a barrel level.
In New York, the dollar turned lower against the euro
yesterday and extended losses against the Japanese yen.
In London, the euro held its ground in the early trade
after rebounding from a record low against the Swiss franc and
a three-week low versus the dollar, but gains were curbed as
investors remained wary about eurozone debt problems.
At the Interbank Foreign Exchange (Forex) market, the
local unit opened firm at 45.15/16 per dollar and moved in a
wide range of 45.0950 and 45.2500 before ending the day at
45.12/13 per dollar.
Earlier, in highly volatile market, the rupee touched to
a low of 45.25 per dollar on good dollar demand from importers
in view of rise in crude oil prices.
The BSE benchmark Sensex ended higher by 91 points or
0.45 per cent.
The rupee premium for the forward dollar ended higher on
paying pressure. The benchmark six-month forward dollar
premium payable in May closed higher at 147-1/2-149-1/2 paise
as against 126-1/2-128-1/2 paise Thursday.
Far-forward contracts maturing in November also finished
slightly higher at 237-239 paise as compared to 236-238 paise
previously.
The Reserve Bank of India fixed the reference rate for
the dollar at Rs 45.23 and the euro at Rs 59.34.
The rupee fell against the pound sterling to Rs 69.64/66
as against 69.50/52 Thursday and also dropped against the
euro to Rs 59.22/24 from Rs 59.14/16 per euro previously.
However, it recovered against the Japanese Yen to Rs
54.42/44 per 100 yen from 54.48/50 per 100 yen previously.
PTI