Rupee hits record low, slips 25 paise to close at 90.74 against US dollar

December 15, 2025

New Delhi: The rupee tumbled to its weakest level ever on Monday (December 15, 2025), touching an intra-day low of 90.80 before settling at a record close of 90.74 (provisional) against the U.S. dollar, down 25 paise from its previous close. The sharp fall was attributed to uncertainty over an India–U.S. trade deal, persistent foreign fund outflows and strong dollar demand from importers.

Market Pressures and Trade Deal Watch

Forex traders said risk-averse global sentiment and sustained capital outflows continued to weigh on the domestic currency. The rupee opened at 90.53 in the interbank forex market and weakened steadily through the session. Analysts noted that the USD-INR pair remains bullish in the near term, with resistance around 90.95 and support near 90.50.
Despite Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal’s statement that India and the U.S. are “very close” to a framework trade deal, the currency failed to gain traction as markets remained cautious.

Equities Ease, Forex Reserves Rise

Domestic equity markets also ended lower, with the Sensex slipping 54.30 points to close at 85,213.36 and the Nifty falling 19.65 points to 26,027.30. Foreign Institutional Investors sold equities worth ₹1,114.22 crore on Friday, exchange data showed.
Meanwhile, India’s foreign exchange reserves rose by $1.033 billion to $687.26 billion in the week ended December 5, the RBI said, after declining by $1.877 billion in the previous week.