CURRENCY OVERVIEW

The Indian rupee touched its strongest level since April on Wednesday, shrugging off a broadly stronger dollar as foreign inflows into local stocks and price action in the non-deliverable ‌forward market supported the currency. The unit has recovered since hitting a record low of 96.96 in May and threatening to breach it last month. It is now down about 4% year-to-date, nearly halving its losses from its worst point in the year so far. Traders pointed to ?broad-based dollar selling interest through the session, with activity in the NDF market too pointing to sentiment around the currency turning positive. This helped the rupee stave off pressure from a broadly stronger dollar, which was lifted by hot inflation data and hawkish comments from Federal Reserve officials. While the prospect of higher policy rates in the US would typically be negative for the rupee, traders are currently more fixated on the pickup in foreign portfolio flows into Indian equity markets. The pound fell against the dollar on Wednesday, which strengthened across the board after US inflation data and hawkish comments from Federal Reserve officials a day earlier fuelled bets that the US central ‌bank will hike interest rates next month. Sterling eased 0.2% to $1.331, pinned near its lowest in two weeks and extending losses after a 0.7% drop in the last session. The dollar index was up for the second straight day after data showed US consumer prices increased by more than expected in October and marked a third consecutive month of upside surprises. The US currency firmed against most others, as traders fully priced in a 25-basis-point interest rate hike in December, with slim chances of an outsized 50-bp hike also on the cards, according to the CME FedWatch Tool. Another potential headwind to the pound could be the rise in crude oil prices on Wednesday, given the UK's status as a net energy importer. Brent crude futures were 1.4% higher on the day. Investors will be watching for Britain's latest gross domestic product data, due on Thursday. A Reuters survey of economists forecasts 0.7% quarter-on-quarter growth in the third quarter, which would be ‌a pick-up from the previous period. Meanwhile, the pound held steady at 83.6 pence against the euro after falling for the last four sessions, the longest such stretch since early September. Oil prices rose about 2% on Wednesday after Iran's security ‌chief said Tehran would not allow any enriched nuclear material to leave the country, feeding supply worries that lifted prices off two-month lows hit the previous session. Brent futures were up $2.15, or 2.35%, at $93.64 a barrel by 12:04 p.m. EST (1704 GMT). US West Texas Intermediate crude gained $1.69, or 1.96%, to $87.73.