An attendant at a fuel station arranges Indian rupee notes in Kolkata, India, August 16, 2018. REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri/File Photo

India's RBI likely sells dollars as surging U.S. yields hold rupee hostage-traders


MUMBAI, Sept 28 (Reuters) - The Indian central bank likely sold dollars via state-run banks on Wednesday as rising Treasury yields and mounting risk aversion pushed the rupee to a record low, traders said.

The rupee was trading at 81.8675 per U.S. dollar, down from 81.58 in the previous session. The local unit earlier reached a record low of 81.9350.

The intervention by the Reserve Bank of India was confirmed to Reuters by three bankers and a brokerage firm.

"There are two major state-run banks who are selling dollars," said one of the traders.

"It looks like they want to protect the 82 level for today."