Rupee closes 3 paise higher at 95.42 on dollar weakness

Brent crude futures rose 0.99% to $87.93 a barrel, reversing a brief easing. Hopes of a resolution to the West Asia crisis remained uncertain, with the U.S. and Iran offering conflicting signals on ship transit through the Strait of Hormuz.

On the domestic equity front, the Sensex fell 70.71 points, or 0.09%, to 78,009.25, while the Nifty dropped 29.25 points, or 0.12%, to 24,366. Foreign institutional investors sold a net ₹510.69 crore in equities on Thursday, exchange data showed.

The dollar index retreated after U.S. Treasury yields fell and inflation data for the world's largest economy came in lower than expected, analysts said. That weakness helped the rupee recover some ground despite the persistent drag from crude and outflows.

For traders, the immediate focus stays on the crude oil profile and the dollar's next move. Trivedi's range of 95.10 to 95.80 gives the rupee room to drift either way, with both triggers still pointing in opposite directions.