New Delhi [India], May 19 : The rupee's weakness looks set to persist in the near term as elevated crude prices and sustained foreign fund outflows keep the currency under strain.
The Indian rupee "traded sharply weaker, as continued rise in crude oil prices and persistent foreign fund outflows kept heavy pressure on the currency," said Jateen Trivedi, VP Research Analyst - Commodity and Currency, LKP Securities.
He noted that "India's high dependence on imported crude is worsening sentiment, with Brent crude staying elevated amid ongoing uncertainty around the US-Iran conflict and Strait of Hormuz concerns."
That pressure pushed the rupee to a fresh intraday low this week. Dilip Parmar, Research Analyst, HDFC Securities, said, "The Indian rupee extended its losing streak to a third day, hitting an intraday record low of 95.74 amid general weakness in Asian markets."
He attributed the slide to "anxieties over elevated crude oil prices and their adverse impact on fiscal deficit," adding that "heightened risk aversion and a significant exodus of foreign capital" have "cemented the rupee's position as the worst-performing Asian currency so far this year."
Forward-looking, both analysts see limited immediate relief unless oil cools or capital flows reverse. "The broader trend for the rupee remains weak," Trivedi said, with markets "closely watching India's strategic efforts to secure lower-cost oil and gas supplies to ease pressure on the import bill and forex reserves." Continued FII selling and global risk aversion are likely to keep volatility high.
On technicals, Parmar flagged key levels for traders: "In the near term, spot USDINR faces resistance at 96.20, with support holding at 95.30." A breach above 96.20 could accelerate depreciation toward the psychological 97 mark, while holding 95.30 would be needed for any stabilization.
The macro backdrop complicates the RBI's job. Higher crude feeds into inflation and the current account, potentially forcing tighter policy even as growth slows. Yet aggressive intervention risks draining reserves if global risk-off persists.
For now, the path of least resistance for USDINR is higher. A durable reversal would likely need a combination of three things: Brent easing below USD 85, FII inflows returning on clearer global rate cues, and progress on discounted energy deals that meaningfully cut India's dollar outgo. Until then, importers are expected to hedge actively and the rupee will remain vulnerable to any fresh geopolitical flare-up in West Asia.