Rupee ends lower after opening below 81 versus dollar for the first time since December 1

Rupee, on Monday, ended lower at 81.39 against the US dollar. Earlier in the day, the currency rose 18 paise from its previous close on Monday to 80.94, below 81-mark for the first time since December 1 amid fall in the value of greenback against a basket of six peers. Crude oil benchmarks traded lower. On Friday, the currency ended 24 paise higher at 81.12 vs dollar.

The dollar index — which measures the American currency against the yen, the pound, the Canadian dollar, the Swedish krona, the Swiss franc and the euro — was trading 0.4 percent lower at 101.4.

Crude oil prices edged lower on Monday thinned by the Lunar New Year holiday in east Asia. The benchmarks, however, held on to most of last week's gains on the prospect of an economic recovery in China this year. Brent crude futures were trading 0.6 percent lower at $87.2 per barrel at the last count. WTI futures, too, were trading 0.5 percent lower at $81.3 per barrel at the last count.