New Delhi, April 23 -- The Indian rupee opened lower, extending its slide on Thursday, pressurized by surging crude oil prices and a stronger US dollar.

The rupee opened 20 paise lower at 94 per US dollar as against its previous close of 93.7950.

The currency has already lost nearly 1% this week and slipped well past its recent highs near 92.50, a level reached largely on the back of support measures by the Reserve Bank late last month and again in April, Reuters reported.

A jump in oil prices, with Brent oil above $100 a barrel, weighed on the rupee. Crude oil prices rallied after Iran vowed not to reopen the Strait of Hormuz so long as a US naval blockade remained in place.

Brent crude oil price rose 1.30% to $103.23 a barrel, while...