Indian rupee off 1-wk lows as exporters sell dlrs

* Dlr moves versus majors, stocks open watched for cues

* Foreign portfolio inflows near $15.4 bln in 2009 (Updates to early trade)

MUMBAI, Nov 20 (Reuters) - The Indian rupee dropped to fresh one-week lows on Friday, tracking a stronger dollar overseas and as traders braced for a lower start to local shares, but exporters sold dollars to cash in on the rupee's fall.

At 9:42 a.m. (0412 GMT), the partially convertible rupee INR=IN was at 46.56/57 per dollar after hitting 46.75, which was its weakest since Nov. 13. It had closed at 46.6850/6950 on Wednesday.

"The initial drop was tracking global equity markets and the dollar's strength, but 46.75 level was a decent technical support for the rupee, which prompted exporters to come and sell dollars around there," said a senior dealer with a private bank.

The dollar and yen kept their broad strength on Friday as investors continued to sell higher-yielding currencies and took profits from gains made in the past few months in risky assets. [USD/]

Traders said they would be watching the domestic sharemarket open for cues on capital flows, which have been a key influence on the currency in recent years.

At 0412 GMT, the MSCI index .MIAPJ0000PUS of Asian stocks ex-Japan was down 0.6 percent while the Nifty India stock futures SINc1 traded in Singapore dropped 0.5 percent, both suggesting a lower open in the local market.

Foreign portfolio investments of nearly $15.4 billion in 2009, have helped the rupee recover from a record low of 52.2 touched in early March.