Rupee slips 22 paise to 71.40 against USD on strong dollar demand

Mumbai, Feb 7 () The rupee declined by 22 paise to settle at 71.40 against the US dollar on Friday amid selling in domestic equities and strengthening of the American currency overseas.

Forex traders said the rupee traded weak largely owing to strengthening of the US dollar ahead of the non-farm payrolls number scheduled to be released later in the day.

At the interbank foreign exchange market, the local currency opened on a weak note at 71.26.

During the day, the local unit lost further ground and touched a low of 71.49, before finally settling for the day at 71.40 against the US dollar, down 22 paise over its previous close.

The domestic unit had settled at 71.18 on Thursday.

On a weekly basis, the rupee has lost 8 paise.

"Rupee traded weak on Friday as dollar scaled high towards 71.35, mainly on back of on weakening risk appetite amid a strong greenback ahead of US non-farm payroll data due later today," said Jateen Trivedi, Senior Research Analyst (Commodity & Currency) at LKP Securities.

The dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, rose by 0.09 per cent to 98.58. DRR DRR ABMABM