Rupee hits record low of 85.81/$

Local currency falls 38 paise from previous close to 85.5914 as dollar continues to rally

- BENN KOCHUVEEDAN @ Mumbai

THE rupee hit an intra-day low of 85.81 to the dollar on Friday, despite the RBI selling the forex reserves from its kitty to prop up the domestic currency.

The domestic currency tanked 38 paise from the previous close to settle at 85.5914 on Friday as dollar continued to rally and importers were constantly lapping up the greenback. Traders are expecting more pains for the currency and see it falling to 86 by March.

For the reporting period ending December 20, forex reserves had fallen by $8.5 billion to a seven-month low at $644.39 billion, only enough to cover nearly 11 months of imports.