Indian rupee faces sustained pressure as elevated oil prices trigger defensive hedging by importers and dampen capital inflows. The currency tumbled 1.42 percent last week, its worst performance in three and a half years, settling at 94.2475 and expected to open between 94.26-94.30 on Monday. Brent crude climbed to nearly $108 per barrel, extending a 16.5 percent weekly rally amid stalled U.S.-Iran peace talks and limited Strait of Hormuz shipments. High crude costs force importers into hedging while exporters show limited dollar-selling appetite. Foreign investor outflows from Indian equities slowed to under $5 billion this month from $12.5 billion in March, yet remain negative overall. Analysts expect oil prices to continue driving rupee weakness in the coming week.
