Rupee climbs 17 paise to close at 72.60 against dollar

The rupee strengthened by 17 paise to end at 72.60 (provisional) against the US dollar on Thursday, tracking positive domestic equities.

At the interbank forex market, the local unit opened at 72.75 against the greenback and witnessed an intra-day high of 72.53 and a low of 72.76.

It finally ended at 72.60 against the American currency, registering a rise of 17 paise over its previous close.

On Tuesday, the rupee had settled at 72.77.

Forex market was closed on Wednesday on account of Buddha Purnima.

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Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, fell 0.02 per cent to 90.02.

Brent crude futures, the global oil benchmark, fell 0.78 per cent to $68.33 per barrel.

On the domestic equity market front, the BSE Sensex ended 97.70 points or 0.19 per cent higher at 51,115.22, while the broader NSE Nifty advanced 36.40 points or 0.24 per cent to 15,337.85.

Foreign institutional investors were net buyers in the capital market on Wednesday as they purchased shares worth Rs 241.60 crore, as per exchange data.

Meanwhile, India's Covid-19 infection tally climbed to 2,73,69,093 as 2,11,298 more people tested positive for the disease in a day, while the country's recovery was recorded at 90 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry on Thursday.