The Indian rupee is expected to open lower on Friday, influenced by the persistent strength of the U.S. dollar and rising Treasury yields following a mixed outcome from the Federal Reserve’s recent meeting. The 1-month non-deliverable forward suggests the rupee will trade in the 88.20-88.22 range against the dollar, slightly weaker than its previous close of 88.1275. On Thursday, the rupee faced renewed pressure, failing to maintain its position above the 88 mark, highlighting the fragile sentiment surrounding the currency amid dollar dominance. Traders noted that the rupee’s momentum quickly reversed despite earlier signs of improvement. In a potentially positive development, Bloomberg Index Services is seeking investor feedback on whether Indian government bonds should be included in its global aggregate index. Meanwhile, the dollar index rose to near 97.50 in Asian trading, extending a 0.7% gain over the past two sessions. Although the dollar initially dipped after the Fed’s 25-basis-point rate cut and projections for further reductions, it rebounded due to rising U.S. Treasury yields. Analysts attributed this shift to Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s press conference, which was perceived as less dovish than expected. Additionally, U.S. jobless claims data released on Thursday showed a decline in new unemployment applications, contributing to the selloff in Treasuries.