<p class="title">The rupee appreciated by 26 paise to 69.40 against the US dollar in opening trade Thursday, as counting of votes for the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections began across the country.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The counting exercise is on in over 4,000 counting centres. Most of the exit polls have predicted that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is on course to retain power for a second term.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The rupee opened strong at 69.45 at the interbank forex market, then gained further ground and touched 69.40, displaying gains of 26 paise over its last close.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The rupee had settled at 69.66 against the US dollar Wednesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Forex traders said, besides the Loka Sabha election outcome, easing crude prices and higher opening in domestic equities also supported the rupee.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Foreign fund outflows however dampened the sentiment of forex traders.</p>.<p class="bodytext">MUST READ | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/liveblog/lok-sabha-election-results-2019-live-updates-ec-machinery-gets-into-action-counting-of-votes-begins-735411.html">Lok Sabha Election Results 2019 LIVE Updates</a></p>.<p class="bodytext">Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were net sellers in the capital markets, pulling out Rs 965.02 crore Wednesday, according to provisional exchange data.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Brent crude futures, the global oil benchmark, eased 0.58 per cent to USD 70.58 per barrel.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Domestic bourses opened on a bullish note Thursday with both benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty hitting all-time highs.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 30-share Sensex was trading at 39,722.15 points, up 611.94 points while Nifty was trading higher by 226.80 points at 11,964.70.</p>
<p class="title">The rupee appreciated by 26 paise to 69.40 against the US dollar in opening trade Thursday, as counting of votes for the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections began across the country.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The counting exercise is on in over 4,000 counting centres. Most of the exit polls have predicted that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is on course to retain power for a second term.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The rupee opened strong at 69.45 at the interbank forex market, then gained further ground and touched 69.40, displaying gains of 26 paise over its last close.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The rupee had settled at 69.66 against the US dollar Wednesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Forex traders said, besides the Loka Sabha election outcome, easing crude prices and higher opening in domestic equities also supported the rupee.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Foreign fund outflows however dampened the sentiment of forex traders.</p>.<p class="bodytext">MUST READ | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/liveblog/lok-sabha-election-results-2019-live-updates-ec-machinery-gets-into-action-counting-of-votes-begins-735411.html">Lok Sabha Election Results 2019 LIVE Updates</a></p>.<p class="bodytext">Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were net sellers in the capital markets, pulling out Rs 965.02 crore Wednesday, according to provisional exchange data.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Brent crude futures, the global oil benchmark, eased 0.58 per cent to USD 70.58 per barrel.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Domestic bourses opened on a bullish note Thursday with both benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty hitting all-time highs.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 30-share Sensex was trading at 39,722.15 points, up 611.94 points while Nifty was trading higher by 226.80 points at 11,964.70.</p>