<p>The rupee gained 15 paise to 73.09 against the US dollar in early trade on Friday as the Reserve Bank of India decided to keep the benchmark interest rate unchanged.</p>.<p>At the interbank forex market, the rupee opened at 73.21 against the American currency, gained some ground to touch 73.09, up 15 paise from its previous close.</p>.<p>On Thursday, the rupee closed at 73.24 against the US dollar.</p>.<p>Maintaining the status quo for the second time in a row, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday decided to keep the benchmark interest rate unchanged at 4 per cent but retained an accommodative stance, implying more rate cuts in the future if the need arises to support the economy hit by the Covid-19 crisis.</p>.<p>On the prices front, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said inflation is likely to ease to the projected target by the fourth quarter of this fiscal.</p>.<p>On the growth front, Das said gross domestic product (GDP) growth may break out of contraction and enter the positive zone by the fourth quarter of the current fiscal.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, fell 0.15 per cent to 93.46.</p>.<p>On the domestic equity market front, the 30-share BSE benchmark Sensex was trading 66.97 points higher at 40,249.64, and the broader NSE Nifty rose 24.45 points to 40,249.64.</p>.<p>Foreign institutional investors were net buyers in the capital market as they purchased shares worth Rs 978.37 crore on Thursday, according to exchange data.</p>.<p>Brent crude futures, the global oil benchmark, fell 0.16 per cent to USD 43.27 per barrel. </p>
<p>The rupee gained 15 paise to 73.09 against the US dollar in early trade on Friday as the Reserve Bank of India decided to keep the benchmark interest rate unchanged.</p>.<p>At the interbank forex market, the rupee opened at 73.21 against the American currency, gained some ground to touch 73.09, up 15 paise from its previous close.</p>.<p>On Thursday, the rupee closed at 73.24 against the US dollar.</p>.<p>Maintaining the status quo for the second time in a row, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday decided to keep the benchmark interest rate unchanged at 4 per cent but retained an accommodative stance, implying more rate cuts in the future if the need arises to support the economy hit by the Covid-19 crisis.</p>.<p>On the prices front, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said inflation is likely to ease to the projected target by the fourth quarter of this fiscal.</p>.<p>On the growth front, Das said gross domestic product (GDP) growth may break out of contraction and enter the positive zone by the fourth quarter of the current fiscal.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, fell 0.15 per cent to 93.46.</p>.<p>On the domestic equity market front, the 30-share BSE benchmark Sensex was trading 66.97 points higher at 40,249.64, and the broader NSE Nifty rose 24.45 points to 40,249.64.</p>.<p>Foreign institutional investors were net buyers in the capital market as they purchased shares worth Rs 978.37 crore on Thursday, according to exchange data.</p>.<p>Brent crude futures, the global oil benchmark, fell 0.16 per cent to USD 43.27 per barrel. </p>