India, Oct. 22 -- The rupee slumped 44 paise to close at 94.82 (provisional) against the US dollar on Thursday, weighed down by a negative trend in the domestic equity markets and surging crude oil prices.

According to forex analysts, the rupee began trading on a flat-to-lower trajectory due to sluggish domestic equities and surging crude oil prices.

Escalation of attacks by Yemeni Houthis on Saudi Arabia's energy infrastructure deteriorated global market sentiment, they said, adding that softening of the dollar index and a decline in US Treasury yields cushioned the downside.

At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 94.47 against the dollar, then lost ground to touch an intra-day low of 94.94 and finally settled f...