• Chinese & Indian troops mutually disengage bosting risk sentiment and demand for Indian Rupee (INR)
  • Foreign institutional investors are net buyers of Indian shares
  • US Dollar awaits PMI data which is expected to show a continued recovery in US economy
  • At 09:30 UTC, US Dollar Indian Rupee exchange rate (USD/INR) trades -0.2% at 75.65

The Indian Rupee is trending higher versus the US Dollar for a third consecutive day on Tuesday. The Rupee rallied 0.6% in the previous session settling at 75.79.

At 09:30 UTC, USD/INR is trading -0.2% at 75.65. This is at the lower end of the daily traded range of 75.60 – 75.91 as risk sentiment improves further.

Indian and Chinese military commanders have mutually agreed to disengage forces following standoff over a disputed stretch of border in the Ladakh region, in the Himalayas. A clash last week over this border reportedly left 20 Indian soldiers dead and raised fears of a war between the two nuclear armed neighbours.

Today’s development has eased geopolitical tensions, boosting risk sentiment, increasing demand for the riskier Indian Rupee.

Also supporting the Rupee has been a broad-based increase in demand for Indian shares by foreign investors. Indian shares rose across the board on Tuesday as inflows from global investors increased. The Sensex rallied 0.5%, whilst the Nifty Fifty also traded 0.6% higher. Foreign institutional investors have been net buyers for the past few sessions according to Central Bank Depository Services data.

The US Dollar is trading lower versus its major peers as investors focus on reopening optimism over fears of a second wave of coronavirus infections.

PMI data from Europe has been encouraging, indicating that the economies are on track for a quicker recovery than initially feared. This has boosted risk sentiment across the financial markets, dragging on the US Dollar.

Investors will now turn they attention to US PMI data due for release later today. Analysts are expecting the data to show that the US economy continues to improve following the coronavirus hit, although the service sector and the manufacturing sector are expected to remain in contraction. A stronger than forecast reading could boost optimism of a V-shaped recovery and keep the US Dollar under pressure.