Mumbai, Jun 10 (PTI) The rupee appreciated 16 paise to close at 95.25 against the US dollar on Wednesday, amid likely intervention from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to curb excessive volatility and prevent a further slide in the domestic unit.

Forex traders said the rupee pared its initial losses and settled on a positive note as Brent crude oil prices and the US dollar index retreated from their elevated levels.

Moreover, likely intervention from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) also supported the domestic unit at lower levels.

At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 95.52, then touched an intraday high of 95.07 and a low of 95.56 against the US dollar. The rupee finally ended the session at 95.25, registering a rise of 16 paise from its previous close.

On Tuesday, the rupee appreciated 20 paise to close at 95.41 against the US dollar.

Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading at 99.87, down 0.04 per cent.

Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading lower by 0.32 per cent at USD 91.16 per barrel in futures trade.

Forex traders said the rupee steadied as markets await US CPI data amid escalating US-Iran tensions.

According to traders, the Indian rupee remains under severe pressure due to renewed geopolitical tensions in West Asia. As India heavily relies on energy imports, any spike in global crude oil prices directly widens the trade deficit and weakens the domestic currency, they said.

The United States launched retaliatory strikes against Iran after an American Apache helicopter was downed near the Strait of Hormuz.

In response, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched retaliatory drone and long-range missile strikes targeting US facilities across the region.

On the domestic equity market front, Sensex was marginally up 64.42 points and settled at 73,983.18, while the Nifty skidded 27.15 points to close at 23,214.95.

Foreign institutional investors offloaded equities worth Rs 2,124.98 crore on a net basis on Wednesday, according to exchange data.

Meanwhile, Indian government bond yields dropped sharply in the last four days, with the benchmark 10-year yield falling 0.10 per cent, as foreign portfolio investor (FPI) inflows picked up after the government's recent tax relief measures for debt investments.

Money market experts attributed the easing yields on government securities to heavy inflows of Rs 11,026.331 crore in the last four days by foreign investors in these securities under the Fully Accessible Route (FAR). FAR allows non-resident investors to invest in specified Government of India dated securities without any investment ceilings. PTI DRR HVA

Rupee volatility management strengthened as lower crude prices and likely RBI intervention supported the domestic currency. The rupee appreciated against the US dollar as lower Brent crude prices, a softer dollar index and likely intervention by the Reserve Bank of India helped curb excessive volatility and support the domestic currency. Market commentary linked the currency's pressure to geopolitical tensions, energy import dependence and a wider trade deficit when crude prices rise. The report also noted easing government bond yields and foreign inflows into government securities under the Fully Accessible Route.