Indian rupee traded stronger against the dollar in early deals on Friday, despite a mixed set of US economic data. Data released overnight showed US initial jobless claims hit a three-month low at a seasonally adjusted 253,000 for the week ended July 16. Mid-Atlantic factory activity, however, contracted, but details showed expanding new orders and employment. On the global front, the yen hovered above six-week lows on Friday after comments from Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda dented speculation Japan may be preparing a radical ‘helicopter money’ economic stimulus.
The partially convertible currency is currently trading at 67.15, stronger by 3 paise from its previous close of 67.18 on Thursday. The currency touched a high and low of 67.2075 and 67.1450 respectively. The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) reference rate for the dollar stood at 67.20 and for Euro stood at 74.15 on July 21, 2016. While the RBI’s reference rate for the Yen stood at 62.73, the reference rate for the Great Britain Pound (GBP) stood at 88.98. The reference rates are based on 12 noon rates of a few select banks in Mumbai.
| Date | 1US$ | 1GBP |
| July 21, 2016 | 67.2035 | 88.9774 |
| July 20, 2016 | 67.1720 | 88.0423 |
