The Rupee appreciated by 8 paise to 71.23 against the U.S. dollar in early trade on Tuesday as optimism over the U.S.-China trade deal strengthened investor sentiments. At the interbank foreign exchange the rupee opened at 71.28, then gathered momentum and touched 71.23 against the US dollar, registering a rise of 8 paise over its previous close. On Monday, rupee had settled for the day at 71.31 against the U.S. dollar. The dollar index, which gauges the greenback’s strength against a basket of six currencies, fell by 0.04% to 96.69. Brent crude futures, the global oil benchmark, rose 0.41% to trade at $68.44 per barrel.

Source: The Hindu December 31, 2019 05:19 UTC