<h1>Indian rupee falls 9 paise to 86.43 against dollar amid crude oil price surge and geopolitical tensions</h1> The Indian rupee depreciated 9 paise to close at 86.43 against the US dollar, driven by risk-off sentiments and elevated crude oil prices. The currency faced pressure from weak domestic equity markets, dollar strength, and foreign investor selling amid Middle East geopolitical tensions. The rupee experienced heavy volatility, opening at 86.42 and ranging between 86.25-86.57 during trading. Analysts expect continued negative bias due to global risk aversion and rising crude prices, with the currency expected to trade between 86.15-86.90 range.