Finance1 min read

Indian rupee hits six-month high as foreign investors return to equities

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Global investors injected nearly $3 billion into the domestic equity market this week, including a massive $1.6 billion single-day allocation on Thursday. A concurrent 20% plunge in Brent crude prices substantially eased import costs for the energy-dependent nation. Dilip Parmar of HDFC Securities highlighted that easing yields and post-election foreign inflows provided essential backing for the currency's upward trajectory. Furthermore, lower energy prices paired with exchange rate stability continue to enhance dollar-denominated returns for overseas institutions.

Key points

  • Foreign institutional capital rotated out of elevated US and North Asian technology asset…: Foreign institutional capital rotated out of elevated US and North Asian technology assets toward India's broader market.
  • Cheaper oil acts as a powerful economic tailwind because India must import almost 90% of…: Cheaper oil acts as a powerful economic tailwind because India must import almost 90% of its petroleum needs.
  • The currency gained roughly 1.2% over the week to rank as Asia's second-best-performing c…: The currency gained roughly 1.2% over the week to rank as Asia's second-best-performing currency.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

The Indian rupee strengthened to 93.90 against the US dollar in afternoon trade on Friday, climbing to its highest level since April 22, as lower crude oil prices and renewed foreign investment flows improved sentiment towards the currency. It has gained around 1.2% this week, making it Asia's second-best-performing currency, after hitting a record low of 96.96 in May.

The recovery comes amid a shift in global investment trends. After favouring technology-heavy markets in the US and North Asia for much of the year, investors are reassessing their exposure to artificial intelligence stocks amid concerns over valuations and the sustainability of large-scale infrastructure spending. India, with its broader equity market and domestic growth drivers, is increasingly attracting attention as an alternative.

Foreign investors have bought nearly $3 billion worth of Indian equities this week, including $1.6 billion on Thursday alone, the biggest single-day purchase in nearly six years. The return of overseas capital after sustained withdrawals is providing an additional source of support to the rupee.

"The recent appreciation in the rupee is backed by the supportive mix of softer…

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