USD/INR PRICE NEWS: CLIMBS ABOVE 82.00 AS RBI KEEPS REPO RATE UNCHANGED AT 6.5%

The USD/INR pair has scaled firmly above 82.00the Reserve Bank of Index (RBI) has kept its repo rate unchanged at 6.5%. Since May 2022, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das has already raised rates by 250 basis points and now one more 25 basis points (bps) rate hike has pushed rates to 6.75%.

A rate hike by the RBI was highly expecte. 6.44%.

Meanwhile, geopolitical tensions between the United States and China are keeping risk-sensitive assets on toes. S&P500 futures have extended their losses after two consecutive bearish trading sessions. The US Dollar Index (DXY) is aiming to extend its gains further above 102.20 amid improved appeal for safe-haven assets.

Going forward, the US Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) data will remain in the spotlight. Soaring expectations of softening of the US labor market and economic slowdown due to the maintenance of higher interest rates by the Federal Reserve (Fed) have deepened fears of recession. Lower Job Openings data and economic slowdown are aiming for weak labor market data on Good Friday.

As per the expectations, the US economy added 240K jobs in March lower than the former release of 311K. The Unemployment Rate is seen unchanged at 3.6%. Major catalyst that will hog the limelight is the Labor Cost Index data, which is expected to accelerate by 0.3%, higher than February’s jump of 0.2%.