Rupee

Bloomberg Originals has published a feature examining how India's retail day traders collectively lost billions of rupees in the country's fast-growing derivatives and intraday markets. The report looks at the scale of losses among small individual traders, who make up a large share of trading volume on Indian exchanges, and the forces behind their poor returns.

The Indian rupee is trading just short of 96 against the US dollar, with the Reserve Bank of India intervening to limit the slide. Pressure on the currency is being driven largely by India's oil import costs, which have weighed on the balance of payments. The central bank's actions are keeping the rupee range-bound near record-low levels, and markets are watching how long the RBI can hold the line.

Traders say the Reserve Bank of India is intervening to shield the rupee as a deadlock between the United States and Iran pushes oil prices higher. Higher crude costs widen India's import bill and pressure the currency, prompting speculation the central bank is selling dollars to limit depreciation.

Bank of Cyprus has begun allowing businesses and individuals to make payments directly in Indian rupees. The move removes the need for intermediary currencies such as the dollar or euro in India-related transactions, cutting costs and settlement times. Observers see it as a step towards deeper financial ties between the EU and India and a further internationalisation of the rupee.