FOREX-Dollar gains as Fed leaves rates unchanged

BY Reuters | ECONOMIC | 03/18/26 02:28 PM EDT

* Dollar index edges up in calmer trading

* Fed leaves interest rates unchanged (Updates headline and prices throughout)

By Chibuike Oguh

NEW YORK, March 18 (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar strengthened against other major currencies on Wednesday, on track to claw back losses from the past two sessions after the U.S. Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged.

The Fed projected higher inflation as well as one interest rate cut for the year as officials weighed the economic impact of the U.S. and Israeli war on Iran.

The dollar has strengthened overall since the Middle East conflict almost three weeks ago, reaching a 10-month high late last week as the conflict and rising oil prices drove investors into safe-haven U.S. assets.

The dollar strengthened 0.71% to 0.79 against the Swiss franc. The euro was down 0.24% at $1.151.

The dollar index was up 0.28% to 99.83.

(Reporting by Chibuike Oguh in New York; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Chris Reese)

In general the bond market is volatile, and fixed income securities carry interest rate risk. (As interest rates rise, bond prices usually fall, and vice versa. This effect is usually more pronounced for longer-term securities.) Fixed income securities also carry inflation risk and credit and default risks for both issuers and counterparties. Unlike individual bonds, most bond funds do not have a maturity date, so avoiding losses caused by price volatility by holding them until maturity is not possible.

Lower-quality debt securities generally offer higher yields, but also involve greater risk of default or price changes due to potential changes in the credit quality of the issuer. Any fixed income security sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to loss.

Before investing, consider the funds' investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. Contact Fidelity for a prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus containing this information. Read it carefully.

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