Rupee falls 22 paise to 85.67 against U.S. dollar in early trade

Geopolitical tensions in Kashmir drive rupee depreciation against the dollar, impacting market sentiment and investor confidence.

The rupee depreciated 22 paise to 85.67 against the U.S. dollar in early trade on Thursday (April 24, 2025), weighed down by negative domestic equities amid significant geopolitical escalation that has injected fresh uncertainty into the regional risk perception.

Forex traders said heightened geopolitical tensions, following a terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir weighed on market sentiment.

On the global front, the U.S. dollar index surged from its recent low of 97.92 to 99.94, marking a notable comeback driven by optimism around a potential de-escalation in US-China trade tensions, they added.

At the interbank foreign exchange, the domestic unit opened at 85.60 and fell to an intraday low of 85.67 against the greenback, registering a loss of 22 paise over its previous close.

On Wednesday, the rupee depreciated 26 paise and settled for the day at 85.45 against the U.S. dollar.

"Historical patterns suggest that such events initially trigger rupee depreciation due to risk aversion. During the 2016 Uri and 2019 Pulwama attacks, the rupee weakened initially but rebounded following decisive Indian responses, underscoring that investor confidence hinges on India's strategic stance post-incident," CR Forex Advisors MD Amit Pabari said.

India on Wednesday (April 23, 2025) downgraded diplomatic ties with Pakistan and announced a raft of measures, including expulsion of Pakistani military attaches, suspension of the Indus Water Treaty of 1960, and immediate shutting down of the Attari land-transit post in view of the cross-border links to the horrific Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.