The dollar rose to its highest level in almost two months versus major peers on Thursday after the Federal Reserve brought forward its projections for the first post-pandemic interest rate hikes into 2023, citing an improved health situation and dropping a long-standing reference that the crisis was weighing on the economy.
The dollar index, which tracks the currency against six rivals, ticked up to 91.459 in Asia, building on its nearly 1% surge overnight, the biggest gain since March of last year.
Only New Zealand’s kiwi made any meaningful headway against the dollar among major currencies on Thursday, climbing 0.4% after data showed New Zealand’s economy grew much faster than expected in the first quarter. The kiwi had tumbled more than 1% on Wednesday.
A majority of 11 Fed officials pencilled in at least two quarter-point interest rate increases for 2023, even as officials in their statement pledged to keep policy supportive for now to encourage an ongoing jobs recovery.
