The Rupee opened slightly stronger on Monday, supported by a pullback in oil prices ?after the U.S. said it would begin efforts to free ships ?stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, while traders watch for updates on U.S.–Iran negotiations. Indian financial markets were ?shut on Friday. The Brent crude July futures contract slid to the $105.50 level in ?the Asia session after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday the ?U.S. would move to help clear ships stuck in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump offered scant details, saying the move was a humanitarian effort for neutral nations. Meanwhile, the lack ?of progress toward a peace deal is expected to limit oil's downside, ?analysts said. Negotiations between the U.S. and Iran continued with the countries assessing responses ?from ?each other. The rupee has remained under persistent pressure in recent sessions, sliding nearly 2% over the past eight trading days. The sustained weakness reflects a feedback loop from high oil prices, ?which has eroded ?sentiment, prompted heavier ?hedging by importers, and reinforced steady dollar demand from oil refiners. High oil prices have further undermined the rupee ?by keeping foreign investors on the sidelines of Indian ?equities. Portfolio ?outflows reached nearly $6.5 billion in April, with cumulative withdrawals in 2026 at roughly $20.6 billion, surpassing outflows seen in all of 2025 and adding to dollar ?demand. The yen stabilised at the start of trading in Asia, strengthening slightly after a few choppy sessions following suspected intervention by authorities to strengthen the currency last ?week. The yen edged up 0.1% to 156.885 against the dollar, after the Japanese ?currency appreciated 1.4% during the past month - a gain almost entirely attributable to the move on Thursday after authorities were widely suspected to have stepped in. Tokyo officials declined to confirm whether they had intervened, but sources ?told Reuters the authorities did undertake yen-buying activity for the first time in two years. The U.S. dollar index , which measures the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was flat at 98.144. The Australian dollar was up 0.1% at $0.7211, while its kiwi counterpart advanced 0.2% to $0.5905. The ?euro was up 0.1% at $1.1730 after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz sought to downplay a rift with Trump after a planned troop drawdown was announced. The country's economy ministry said on Sunday that Berlin is also ?in touch ?with the European Commission as it holds talks with Washington, ?after Trump said on Friday he would increase tariffsOil prices eased on Monday after U.S. ?President Donald Trump said the United States would begin an effort to free up ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, however the lack of a U.S.-Iran peace deal kept prices supported above $100. Brent ?crude futures fell 64 cents, or 0.59%, to $107.53 a barrel by 2308 GMT ?after settling down $2.23 on Friday. on cars and trucks from the EU to 25%. The British pound was up ?0.1% at $1.3586.......