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RBI opens forex swap window for OMCs to curb Rupee volatility

29 Aug 2013 Evaluate

In its latest attempt to shore up a currency that has slumped to historic lows, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has opened a forex swap window to help the three state-owned oil marketing companies (OMCs), IOC, BPCL and HPCL to meet their entire daily dollar requirements. The PSU oil companies are the biggest buyers of dollars, requiring $ 8-8.5 billion every month for the import of an average 7.5 million tonnes of crude oil.

With this decision, RBI aims at curbing volatility in the Rupee, which has been losing ground against the dollar. With its 4% slide on Wednesday to a life low of 68.80/$, the rupee has lost a fifth of its value this year. However, this is not for the first time that India’s Apex bank has resorted to such measures as in last 2008 global financial crisis too it had opened such window.

Further, under the swap facility, RBI will undertake sell/buy USD-INR forex swaps for a fixed tenor with the oil marketing companies through a designated bank. The swap facility, which has operationalised with immediate effect, will remain in place until further notice. This move, while reducing immediate demand pressures for dollar, would reduce volatility in the currency market and help restrict the sharp slide in the rupee against the dollar.

However, the OMCs would have to return the dollars they would source from RBI at a later date. The assumption is that dollar flows will improve, helping the OMCs to buy the US currency and return the money to RBI. Nevertheless, the immediate advantage is that demand of $ 13 billion goes out of the system. With the total monthly import bill coming to about $ 30 billion, one-third of the demand is taken out of the system.

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