{
  "id": 13916988,
  "title": "Dollar firm near 18-month highs, as Gulf unrest, US inflation keep investors on edge",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/dollar-firm-near-18-month-highs-as-gulf-unrest-us-inflation-keep",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-12T08:57:46.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CNA - Business",
    "slug": "cna-business",
    "url": "https://www.channelnewsasia.com/business/dollar-firm-near-18-month-highs-gulf-unrest-us-inflation-keep-investors-edge-6451731"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The US dollar reached near 18-month highs on October 12, as escalating Middle East unrest and US inflation concerns kept investors on edge. Oil prices fluctuated following Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis increasing strikes on Saudi Arabia, while two tankers were attacked over the weekend. Brent crude futures fell by 0.5% to $104 a barrel, down nearly 45% since the start of the war, and are still around 45% higher than pre-war levels. The dollar index, tracking the US currency against six others, remained close to last week's 18-month highs at 102.16. US investors added to their bullish dollar positions, with the dollar rising to $36 billion in the week to October 7, up from $8.4 billion three weeks ago. The upcoming US inflation data, released on Wednesday, could significantly influence the dollar's near-term direction. The Fed raised interest rates last month for the first time since 2023 to curb inflation, while markets closely monitor economic data to gauge potential further policy actions.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Ajel English",
        "title": "Dollar holds near 18-month high ahead of US inflation data",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/dollar-holds-near-18-month-high-ahead-of-us-inflation-data",
        "published": "2026-10-12T06:38:06.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Dollar firm near 18-month highs, as Gulf unrest, US inflation keep investors on edge",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/dollar-firm-near-18-month-highs-as-gulf-unrest-us-inflation-keep-13921295",
        "published": "2026-10-12T08:57:46.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}