The Rupee closed steady after rising to a two week high mid-session on Wednesday, aided by a recovery in risk appetite that helped lift Asian currencies, while dollar-rupee forward premiums also ticked higher. The dollar index declined on Tuesday and was last quoted at 105.6, while the Korean won and Indonesian rupiah rose by 0.4% each to lead the gains among the rupee's Asian peers. U.S. GDP growth is expected to have slowed to 2.4% in the January-March quarter, from 3.4% in the previous quarter, while core PCE inflation likely held steady at 0.3% month-on-month in March. The pound eased on Wednesday, surrendering some gains from its biggest one-day rally in four months the previous day, after a softer reading of monthly U.S. business activity battered the dollar. Sterling was down 0.1% at $1.2435, having risen 0.8% on Tuesday, the most in one day since mid-December. The euro was steady against the pound at 85.99 pence. The pound has come under pressure this week, having hit its lowest since November on Monday, after Bank of England officials suggested the central bank was becoming more confident that UK inflation is subsiding, which would indicate that interest rates might fall more quickly than the market currently expects. Brent crude oil prices steadied around $88 a barrel on Wednesday after rallying in the previous session on a surprise fall in U.S. crude stocks and a drop in business activity in the world's largest oil consumer. Brent crude futures were down 35 cents, or 0.4%, to $88.07 a barrel by 1315 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures had lost 47 cents, or 0.6%, to $82.89.......