Rupee slightly up against dollar in early trade

MUMBAI: The rupee showed a small variation against the US currency during the morning trading, mainly buoyed by a strong surge in equity markets.

In lacklustre activity at the Interbank Foreign Exchange (forex) market, the local currency resumed on a promising note at 40.79.80 per dollar from yesterday's close of 40.80/81 per dollar and later edged higher to 40.7850/7950 a dollar in late morning deals.

Activity was at a low ebb and the rupee drew support from a rally in equity market this morning, forex dealers said.

The benchmark Sensex jumped by about 112 points in early trade.