{
  "id": 19600707,
  "title": "Dollar rises to 19-month high as Fed hike bets grow, yen softens",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/12/dollar-rises-to-19-month-high-as-fed-hike-bets-grow-yen-softens-19600707",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-11-12T03:39:56.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/business/2026/11/12/dollar-rises-to-19-month-high-as-fed-hike-bets-grow-yen-softens"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The dollar index surged to a 19-month peak against a basket of currencies on Thursday, buoyed by expectations of additional Federal Reserve rate hikes and a dovish tone from key central bankers. The dollar index climbed 0.15% to 103.02, the highest since April 2025. This surge followed stronger-than-expected October inflation data and hawkish statements from US central bank officials, signaling potential further tightening. Goldman Sachs and other major brokerages now anticipate another rate hike in early 2024, in addition to the December hike already announced.\n\nNew York Fed President John Williams, whose views on rate hikes were closely watched ahead of the October meeting, expressed optimism about additional hikes in a speech on Thursday. Traders are closely monitoring his comments, as any guidance from him could significantly impact market sentiment.\n\nThe dollar strengthened against the Japanese yen, reversing an earlier decline and trading 0.04% higher at 159.83. This advance was driven by the substantial interest-rate differential between the US and Japan, as well as traders increasing their bets on further Fed rate hikes. The Bank of Japan's Toichiro Asada, one of the two dissenting voices, cautioned against premature rate hikes, arguing that they could stifle growth and suppress inflation.\n\nEarlier, Japan's top currency diplomat Atsushi Mimura had warned that intervention by Japanese authorities during the summer was \"too early,\" pushing the dollar/yen pair to its lowest level of the day. However, the yen found respite briefly before the dollar/yen pair regained some strength. Analysts suggest that the pair may struggle to break above 160 unless there is a shift in expectations for both Fed and Bank of Japan rate hikes.",
  "summary": "Major brokerages, including Goldman Sachs, now expect a further rate hike early next year, following one in December.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}