The Indian rupee slipped to around 93.37 per dollar, retreating from recent gains to reach a three-week low as pressure returned from rising global oil prices and weakening risk sentiment. Oil prices jumped following the breakdown in diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran, which reignited fears of prolonged instability in the Middle East. Market expectations of tighter global supply were further reinforced by heightened risks to shipping through strategic chokepoints, adding upward pressure on energy costs. At the same time, financial conditions tightened for emerging markets as the US dollar strengthened, Treasury yields rose, and global equities weakened. Analysts also pointed out that recent support for the currency had faded. Earlier gains were partly driven by temporary dollar-selling flows linked to regulatory adjustments in the banking system, but those effects have now largely unwound, leaving the rupee more exposed to underlying fundamentals.
