The rupee strengthened by 19 paise to reach 87.03 against the US dollar in early trade on Thursday, supported by favorable macroeconomic data that also spurred buying in domestic equity markets.
Forex analysts noted that while rising global tariff tensions continued to drive foreign capital outflows, a weaker US dollar index and lower crude oil prices bolstered the local currency.
At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened higher at 87.13 and climbed to a session high of 87.03 against the greenback, marking a notable gain of 19 paise from its previous close.