MUMBAI, JUN 11 (PTI): The rupee plunged 50 paise to settle at 95.75 (provisional) against the US dollar on Thursday amid heightened tensions in West Asia and a stronger greenback.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 95.55 against the greenback and traded in the range of 95.55 to 95.76 before settling at 95.75 (provisional), down 50 paise from its previous close. The local unit appreciated 16 paise to close at 95.25 against the US dollar on Wednesday, amid likely intervention from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to curb excessive volatility and prevent a further slide in the domestic unit.
Meanwhile, the US and Iran traded strikes for the second day on Thursday, pushing West Asia closer to the resumption of a full-scale war. The American attack, which lasted into Thursday morning in Iran, appeared more intense and wider than the day before, but Tehran released little information on the extent of the damage.
An Indian official said a US attack on an oil tanker allegedly trying to violate Washington’s blockade on Iranian ports killed three Indian mariners, underscoring the danger to seafarers.
