The Rupee opened weaker on Monday, with traders keeping a close watch on the Reserve Bank of India's presence, following a challenging week marked by persistent dollar demand and thin supply. The move past 90 unfolded despite likely intervention by the RBI to support the rupee, highlighting the strength of underlying demand, per bankers. The rupee has now wiped nearly half of the intervention-led rally from 91 to near 89.25, reinforcing the view the local currency will be under strain until there is a U.S.-India trade deal. Investors are assessing the fallout from a dramatic weekend that saw the U.S. capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington could launch a second military strike on Venezuela if remaining members of the administration fail to cooperate with efforts to "fix" the country. Meanwhile, investors will be eyeing a slate of U.S. macroeconomic indicators due this week that could be crucial in steering Federal Reserve policy. The dollar started the first full trading week of the New Year on the front foot, rising to a 3-1/2-week peak versus the euro and a two-week high against the yen. Currency traders largely looked past the United States' weekend raid in Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolas Maduro, focusing instead on a slate of U.S. macroeconomic indicators due this week that could be crucial in steering Federal Reserve policy. The dollar added 0.1% to $1.1704 per euro , and earlier strengthened as far as $1.170025 for the first time since December 11. It climbed 0.2% to 157.08 yen after reaching 157.255 for the first time since December 22. A recent run of resilient U.S. data has markets contemplating a potentially slower pace of interest rate cuts this year, he said. The data rollout this week begins with ISM manufacturing figures on Monday and culminates with the monthly non-farm payrolls report on Friday. Investors are also awaiting U.S. President Donald Trump's choice for the next Fed chair, with Jerome Powell's term ending in May. Trump has said he will announce his pick this month, and has said Powell's successor will be "someone who believes in lower interest rates, by a lot." The dollar advanced 0.1% to $1.3443 per British pound , and gained 0.1% to C$1.3745 . The Aussie declined 0.2% to $0.6682. Oil prices inched up on Monday as investors weighed whether political upheaval in OPEC member Venezuela would disrupt shipments after U.S. President Donald Trump seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, in a well supplied market. Brent crude futures rose 17 cents to $60.92 a barrel by 0024 GMT, paring earlier losses, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was at $57.43 a barrel, up 11 cents.......
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