Rupee falls to all-time low of 80.15 against US dollar in early trade
Mumbai (PTI); The rupee depreciated 31 paise to an all-time low of 80.15 against the US dollar in early trade on Monday tracking the strength of the American currency and firm crude oil prices.
At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 80.10 against the dollar, then lost ground to quote at 80.15, registering a fall of 31 paise from the last close.
On Friday, the rupee closed at 79.84 against the dollar.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.51 per cent higher at 109.35.
Forex traders said the dollar index gained after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell adopted a hawkish tone to battling inflation.
According to Anil Kumar Bhansali, Head of Treasury, Finrex Treasury Advisors, the rupee opened on a weak note after a hawkish Powell kept US rate hikes in prominence until inflation falls to 2 per cent.
"With 80 being allowed to be crossed over by RBI, its actions will be watched closely by traders. The next important events are PMI and NFPR of the US which will give an indication as to how the economy and labour markets are behaving," Bhansali said.
Global oil benchmark Brent crude futures advanced 0.86 per cent to USD 101.86 per barrel.
On the domestic equity market front, the 30-share Sensex was trading 966.68 points or 1.64 per cent lower at 57,867.19, while the broader NSE Nifty fell 283.90 points or 1.62 per cent to 17,275.00.
Foreign institutional investors were net sellers in the capital market on Friday as they offloaded shares worth Rs 51.12 crore, as per stock exchange data.
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Family of injured driver in murder of Suvendu's aide seeks exemplary punishment
Kolkata (PTI): The family of Buddhabeb Bera, the driver injured in the shooting that killed BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari's close aide Chandranath Rath, demanded exemplary punishment for those responsible and urged the new government to ensure such incidents do not happen in West Bengal.
Rath was shot dead in Madhyamgram near Kolkata on Wednesday night, triggering a political storm in the state. Bera, who was driving the vehicle at the time of the attack, sustained gunshot wounds and is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital.
Family members said they learned about the incident through television and immediately left for Kolkata.
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"We came to know from TV reports that my nephew had been shot. We still do not know who carried out the attack or why it happened," Buddhabeb's uncle Biswajit Bera said.
"Our only wish now is that he recovers and returns home safely," he added.
Buddhabeb, 25, hails from Majnaberia village in the Chandipur police station area in Purba Medinipur district.
According to family members, he mostly stays in Kolkata for work and visits home occasionally during weekends.
Besides his parents, his younger brother, sister-in-law and several relatives have also travelled to Kolkata following the incident.
Demanding strict action against the perpetrators, the uncle said, "We want the government to conduct a proper investigation and identify those directly involved in the crime. They should be given exemplary punishment so that such incidents do not happen again in West Bengal and no other family has to go through this grief."
A neighbour, Ranjana Ghorai, also sought stringent punishment for those behind the attack.
"In our neighbourhood, we call him Sona. We want exemplary punishment for the people responsible for this incident," she said.
Rath's family members have demanded life imprisonment for the accused, while Adhikari has called for capital punishment for those involved in the killing.
