<h1>Indian rupee drops 9 paise to 85.68 against dollar amid weak equities and rising crude prices</h1> The Indian currency depreciated 9 paise to close at 85.68 against the US dollar due to weak domestic equity markets and rising crude oil prices. The dollar index increased 0.14 percent while Brent crude rose 0.92 percent. Market uncertainty stems from approaching trade deal negotiations between two major economies, with a deadline set for a specific date. Analysts expect continued volatility amid trade tariff uncertainty. Domestic equity indices declined, with the benchmark index falling 0.34 percent, though foreign institutional investors made net purchases worth significant amounts.