New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) The rupee appreciated 20 paise to close at 87.39 against the US dollar on Monday, supported by strong domestic equities.

Forex traders said the Indian rupee traded on the positive territory on the GST reforms that Prime Minister Narendra Modi recommended in his August 15 address to the nation.

Forex traders said the uncertainty over trade tariffs issue between India and the US is likely to keep market participants cautious.

At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 87.46 against the US dollar, and touched an intraday low of 87.48 and a high of 87.33 and settled at 87.39, registering a gain of 20 paise over its previous close.

On Thursday, the rupee settled lower by 12 paise at 87.59 against the US dollar.

Forex and equity markets were closed on Friday on account of Independence Day.

PM Modi on Sunday said the Centre has circulated the draft of the next-generation GST reforms among states and sought their cooperation to implement the proposal before Diwali.

He said the reform in GST would benefit poor and middle-class people, as well as small and big businesses.

The present GST tax rates of nil/zero on essential food items, 5 per cent on daily use products, 12 per cent on standard goods, 18 per cent on electronics and services and 28 per cent on luxury and sin goods will be replaced by two tax slabs of 5 per cent and 18 per cent, plus a special 40 per cent top bracket for 5-7 demerit goods.

The proposed two-slab regime, if approved by the GST Council, will replace the current four slabs in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, doing away with the 12 per cent and 28 per cent slabs.

"Rupee gained today (Monday)... after the GST tax cuts announced by PM Modi and fading global risk factors after the Trump-Putin meeting. The RBI has been actively selling dollars as in the previous week the reserves fell about USD 10 billion," Anil Kumar Bhansali, Head of Treasury and Executive Director, Finrex Treasury Advisors LLP, said.

"The market is also expecting that the additional 25 per cent levy may go away once a peace deal is agreed upon between Ukraine and Russia. The S&P upgrade to India's ratings have also provided the necessary support to rupee as the ratings have been upgraded to BBB from BBB-," he said, adding that the local unit is expected to trade in the range of 87.00 to 87.75 on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Brent crude prices rose 0.70 per cent to USD 66.31 per barrel in futures trade.

Investors will monitor Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's comments at Jackson Hole this week for clues on the path of interest rate cuts in its next meeting in September, traders said.

Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, rose 0.14 per cent to 97.98.

On the domestic equity market front, Sensex jumped 676.09 points to settle at 81,273.75, while the Nifty surged 245.65 points to 24,876.95.

Foreign Institutional Investors purchased equities worth Rs 550.85 crore on Monday, according to exchange data. PTI DRR TRB TRB

GST reform plan to simplify tax slabs and add a special top bracket, prompting positive market reaction. A draft Goods and Services Tax reform circulated to states proposes replacing the existing multi slab rate structure with two principal tax rates plus a higher bracket for a limited set of demerit goods; adoption requires GST Council approval and state cooperation, with the government seeking implementation before Diwali, and the measure is framed as simplifying rates to benefit consumers and businesses while concentrating higher tax incidence on specified demerit items.