USD/INR climbs as Trump trades gain momentum

• The Indian Rupee remains under pressure near an all-time low in Wednesday’s early European session. 
• Stronger USD and persistent foreign fund outflows continue to undermine the INR. 
• Investors brace for the US presidential election results on Wednesday. 

The Indian Rupee (INR) attracts some sellers to near an all-time low on Wednesday, pressured by a rise in the US Dollar (USD) and weakness in Asian peers after the polls showed Republican candidate Donald Trump ahead of Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the US presidential election. Furthermore, significant outflows from domestic stocks continue to weigh on the local currency. 

However, the downside risk for the INR might be limited by the routine actions taken by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to sell the USD to prevent significant depreciation in the Indian Rupee. Investors will closely monitor the outcome of the US election ahead of the US Federal Reserve (Fed) meeting on Thursday. Meanwhile, Trump trades continue to rally as his odds improve. Analysts expect that the victory of Donald Trump could push the USD higher.

Daily Digest Market Movers: Indian Rupee seems vulnerable amid US election updates

• "Dollar is doing well, U.S. yields are on the rise and U.S. equity futures are up. Traders are getting into Trump trades based on what the U.S. election results are so far," noted a Singapore-based hedge fund portfolio manager. 
• According to the IMF, India is now estimated to overtake Japan as the world's fourth-biggest economy by FY2025. The IMF forecasts that India's GDP will rise to $4,340 billion next fiscal year.
• The US ISM Services Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) rose to 56.0 in October from 54.9 in September and beating the estimation of 53.8. 
• The US S&P Global Services PMI came in at 55.0 in October, down from the previous reading and the consensus of 55.3.
• Financial markets are now pricing in nearly a 94% possibility of a quarter point reduction and a near 80% odds of a similar-sized move in December, according to CME's FedWatch tool.

Technical Analysis: USD/INR remains bullish in the longer term

The Indian Rupee weakens on the day. Technically, the strong bullish outlook of the USD/INR pair remains intact as the pair holds above the key 100-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) on the daily timeframe. Additionally, the 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) holds above the midline near 67.30, suggesting that the path of least resistance is to the upside. 

The key upside barrier for USD/INR emerges near the upper boundary of the ascending trend channel at84.25. Extended gains above the mentioned level could see a rally to 84.50, en route to the 85.00 psychological level.

In the bearish event, any follow-through selling below the lower limit of the trend channel near 84.05 could expose 83.79, the 100-day EMA. The next contention level is located at 83.46, the low of September 24. 

RBI FAQs

What is the role of the Reserve Bank of India?

The role of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), in its own words, is "..to maintain price stability while keeping in mind the objective of growth.” This involves maintaining the inflation rate at a stable 4% level primarily using the tool of interest rates. The RBI also maintains the exchange rate at a level that will not cause excess volatility and problems for exporters and importers, since India’s economy is heavily reliant on foreign trade, especially Oil.

How do the decisions of the Reserve Bank of India affect the Rupee?

The RBI formally meets at six bi-monthly meetings a year to discuss its monetary policy and, if necessary, adjust interest rates. When inflation is too high (above its 4% target), the RBI will normally raise interest rates to deter borrowing and spending, which can support the Rupee (INR). If inflation falls too far below target, the RBI might cut rates to encourage more lending, which can be negative for INR.

Does the Reserve Bank of India directly intervene in FX markets?

Due to the importance of trade to the economy, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) actively intervenes in FX markets to maintain the exchange rate within a limited range. It does this to ensure Indian importers and exporters are not exposed to unnecessary currency risk during periods of FX volatility. The RBI buys and sells Rupees in the spot market at key levels, and uses derivatives to hedge its positions.

India has run a trade deficit for most of its recent history, indicating its imports outweigh its exports. Since the majority of international trade takes place in US Dollars, there are times – due to seasonal demand or order glut – where the high volume of imports leads to significant US Dollar- demand. During these periods the Rupee can weaken as it is heavily sold to meet the demand for Dollars. When markets experience increased volatility, the demand for US Dollars can also shoot up with a similarly negative effect on the Rupee.

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