Indian Rupee Finished The Day at 94.9000 against the US Dollar

Financial Market Overview

Indian Rupee

The Indian rupee closed at 94.9000 on Thursday in comparison to its previous 94.8450 on Wednesday evening. Indian rupee plummeted to a historic intraday low of 95.34 against the US dollar, driven by escalating geopolitical tensions in West Asia and a sharp spike in global crude oil prices, which surged past $122 per barrel. This decline was further exacerbated by heavy selling in domestic equities, with the Sensex and Nifty recording significant losses as foreign institutional investors continued to offload assets. Market sentiment remained under pressure as the US Federal Reserve maintained steady interest rates amid persistent inflation, while supply chain concerns intensified due to blockades in the Strait of Hormuz, leaving the domestic currency struggling against a resilient greenback.

Indian Equities

Nifty below 24,000, Sensex down 583 pts; Top Nifty losers included Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, Hindalco Industries, Eternal, HUL, Axis Bank, while gainers were Bajaj Auto, Sun Pharma, Infosys, Tech Mahindra, Bajaj Finance.

Global Market

Asian markets traded with a predominantly soft tone, as regional indices responded to diverging economic signals. Japan’s Nikkei 225 tumbled 762.46 points to settle at 59,155.00, while China’s Shanghai Composite defied the regional drag, gaining 4.65 points to close at 4,112.16. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng failed to mirror this upward momentum, showing pronounced weakness by sliding 356.84 points to trade at 25,755.00.

European markets moved with a mixed bias in early trade as regional sentiment showed signs of mounting pressure. The French CAC 40 fell by 15.63 points to 8,056.50, but the German DAX managed to shake off steady weight, climbing 124.54 points to 24,079.10. Meanwhile, the FTSE 100 found its footing amid broader uncertainty, advancing 139.14 points to reach 10,352.25 during the session.

U.S. stock futures presented a broadly cautious picture during the afternoon session. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 309.68 points (0.63%), while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 exhibited underlying flat movement, shifting -0.04% and 0.04% respectively. Market focus remains locked on global stability as participants navigate shifting geopolitical narratives and updated corporate earnings data.

The price of Brent crude retreated, falling 1.27 points to reach $109.17 per barrel. Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, markets continue to price in significant volatility as participants monitor supply-side constraints and maritime conditions in the Strait of Hormuz.