The rupee ended 5 paise lower at 71.33 against the US dollar on Wednesday as forex market turned cautious ahead of key macro data release.
Besides, higher crude oil prices and strengthening of the American dollar against key currencies also put pressure on the domestic unit.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 71.24 per dollar. During the day, it swung between between a high of 71.21 and a low of 71.40. The domestic unit finally settled at 71.33, down 5 paise from its previous close.
Meanwhile, global crude oil benchmark Brent Futures rose 2.17 per cent to trade at USD 55.18 per barrel.
The dollar index, which gauges the greenback’s strength against a basket of six currencies, rose 0.03 per cent to 98.74.