The rupee declined 8 paise to 87.40 against the US dollar in early trade on Tuesday, weighed down by persistent foreign fund outflows and a prevailing liquidity deficit. Forex traders said the ongoing uncertainty surrounding tariff imposition by the US has left financial markets in flux. Moreover, the tariff chaos has injected volatility and uncertainty into the US Dollar Index. At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 87.38, then fell to 87.40 against the American currency, registering a decline of 8 paise over its previous close. On Monday, the rupee settled with a gain of 5 paise at 87.32 against the US dollar. Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was at 106.61, lower by 0.12 per cent, amid escalating trade tensions, which have been triggered by US. President Donald Trump's renewed tariff policies. Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, quoted 0.63 per cent lower at USD 71.17 per barrel in futures