The rupee continued to face pressure for the third consecutive session, weakening by 10 paise to trade at 90.44 against the US dollar in early dealings on Friday. Persistent foreign fund outflows and a firm US currency weighed on the domestic unit.
Forex dealers said the decline was cushioned to some extent by lower crude oil prices and a positive tone in equity markets, which helped limit sharper losses.
In the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 90.37 and gradually moved lower to 90.44, compared with its previous close of 90.34. The local currency had ended 11 paise lower on Wednesday, following a 6-paise drop in the prior session. Trading was halted on Thursday due to a holiday for the Mumbai municipal corporation elections.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback’s strength against a basket of six major currencies, was marginally lower by 0.02 per cent at 99.10.