Dollar steadies near two-month high as Iran diplomacy weighs on markets

  • The dollar held near a two-month high as investors anticipated additional interest-rate increases.
  • Brent crude futures traded at $99.22 a barrel, having risen 37% since late February.
  • Investors awaited Trump-Xi talks while the yen traded at 157.55 per dollar amid intervention concerns.

The dollar held near a two-month high on Wednesday as expectations for further interest-rate increases supported the U.S. currency, while easing oil prices tied to diplomatic efforts over the Iran conflict left investors cautious. The euro traded at $1.1446, sterling at $1.3337 and the dollar index at 100.56. Brent crude futures stood at $99.22 a barrel, up 37% since the conflict began at the end of February. US President Donald Trump warned he could annihilate Iran without a deal, while also suggesting an agreement could emerge soon through United Nations diplomacy. Investors are also focused on a meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The yen traded at 157.55 per dollar as markets viewed the Bank of Japan's recent rate increase to a 31-year high as insufficiently hawkish, keeping intervention concerns alive during Japan's holiday and thin trading conditions.

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