The rupee appreciated 7 paise to 66.82 against the US dollar in early trade on Thursday at the Interbank Foreign Exchange on increased selling of the American currency by exporters and banks amid higher opening in the domestic equity market.
Forex dealers said that besides selling of the Americancurrency by exporters and banks, weakness in the dollar against some currencies overseas supported the rupee.
Further, a higher opening in the domestic equity marketinfluenced the rupee uptrend, they added.
Yesterday, the rupee closed 3 paise higher at 66.89on easing fears of an imminent US Fed rate hike amid softeroverseas sentiment.
Meanwhile, the benchmark BSE Sensex rose by 60.51 pointsor 0.21 per cent at 28,432.74 in early trade on Thursday.