Impacted by crude oil prices, strengthening of US dollar and a fall in Foreign Portfolio Investors’ (FPI) sentiment, INR came under heavy pressure during the year and its value went down by over 10 per cent. “Problems began when Crude oil crossed $70 per barrel. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) began to reduce exposure, resulting in further weakening of the rupee. The run up to general election is usually volatile, but sanity prevails in the election year and thereafter, we see a range year ahead (Rs. 68.00-75.00),” HDFC Securities said. Corporate earnings and macroeconomic conditions are the two other factors that will move the market in 2019. Analysts expect GDP growth to slow down in H1FY19 after the September quarter of FY19 disappointed with a broad-based slowdown across consumption, net exports and manufacturing on the supply side. Corporate earnings, on the other side, are likely to see a revival next year. On the global front, investors will track Brexit, trade war tensions, global growth, policies of global central banks such as the US Federal Reserve, Bank of Japan, and European Central Bank.

• The Indian rupee ends almost flat this week by 0.01 paisa gain compared with previous week close.
• Last week Indian rupee closed at ₹71.18 with the aggregate loss of 0.70 paisa
• This week on the last trading day rupee closed at ₹71.18 with the loss of 0.11 paisa
• Highest gain 0.27 paisa on Thursday and highest fall 0.16 paisa on Tuesday