The Rupee closed the week with losses against the dollar, with frequent dollar-selling interventions by ?the central bank curbing declines from the prolonged uncertainty from ?the months-long Middle East conflict. Persistent dollar sales by state-run banks, most ?likely on behalf of the Reserve Bank of India, anchored the ?currency in a less-than-30-paisa range during the week, and blunted ?the impact of sustained dollar demand from importers, volatile crude prices ?and the maturity of derivative contracts. Oil prices rose after the United States ?threatened an indefinite naval blockade of Iran, reviving concerns about the supply of crude. India is particularly vulnerable to such supply disruptions as it imports about 90% of ?its oil. Data on Friday showed that India's wholesale price inflation rose 9.78% ?year-on-year in July, easing marginally from June due to lower energy inflation. Earlier in ?the ?week, the consumer price gauge for July was reported at 4.45%, modestly higher than the central bank's 4% medium-term target. Sterling was set for a weekly rise against both the dollar and the euro on Friday, helped by this ?week's better than expected GDP data as well as calm ?across currency markets that is pushing traders to buy currencies where bond yields are relatively high, like Britain. The British currency was last at $1.3521, up 0.25% on ?the day and a similar amount on the week. ?It was trading at 85.44 pence per euro, a whisker ?firmer on the day and also around 0.25% stronger on ?the week. The yen headed for its biggest weekly loss in about a ?month on Friday as the impact of U.S. and Japanese intervention faded, leaving traders to wager that either rate hikes ?or another round of official buying would be needed to stem the decline. The currency has surrendered roughly half the gains sparked by intervention in late July and early August, falling about 0.9% this week to 159.15 per dollar . Oil prices rose on Friday and were on track ?for weekly gains after the United States threatened an indefinite naval blockade of Iran, raising concerns about disruptions to crude supplies from the Middle East. Brent futures were up 25 cents, or 0.29%, to $87.32 a barrel at 1205 GMT, ?while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up 49 cents, or 0.6%, to $81.74 ?a barrel.......
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