Mumbai, Oct. 9 -- The Indian rupee appreciated 23 paise to 96.65 against US dollar in early trade on Friday, supported by a slight softening in the US dollar amid easing oil prices. The rupee opened on a positive note this morning with the dollar index down under 102 levels and Brent also down to USD 103.39 per barrel after US President Donald Trump said that the attack on Iran will happen only after the midterm elections. However, broader geopolitical pressures on the domestic currency persist and relentless foreign fund outflows is pressurising the domestic unit further. Indian shares were notably higher in early trade on Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump ruled out attacking Iran before the U.S. midterm elections on November 3, a...