The Indian rupee pared initial gains and settled for the day higher by 4 paise at 85.69 (provisional) against the US dollar on Thursday, supported by US-India trade deal optimism, even as domestic equity markets were closed in the negative territory. Indian shares ended Thursday's session lower as U.S. President Donald Trump intensified his tariff war strategy. The benchmark S&P/BSE Sensex ended the session down 345.80 points, or 0.41 percent, at 83,190.28 while the broader NSE Nifty index dropped 120.85 points, or 0.47 percent, to 25,355.25. At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened on a positive note at 85.62 against the US dollar, and traded in a range of 85.69 and 85.53 during the day. The local unit finally settled for the day at 85.69 (provisional), up 4 paise from its previous close. On the NSE, USDINR ended marginally lower at 85.76.