<h1>Rupee gains 9 paise to 87.79 as crude eases and trade deal hopes rise; central bank caps appreciation</h1> The domestic currency strengthened by 9 paise to 87.79 against the US dollar in early trade, supported by lower global crude prices and optimism over a bilateral trade deal; central bank intervention reportedly capped appreciation near the 88.00 level. Offshore factors included a slightly firmer dollar index and a weekly rebound in Brent crude after sanctions-affected supply disruptions. Domestic equities opened lower while foreign institutional investors recorded net equity sell-offs of about Rs 1,165.94 crore. Market-moving developments suggest potential regulatory monitoring and continued sensitivity to external flows, energy-price shifts and trade-policy developments.