Dollar Climbs as Fed Officials Say April Rate Increase Possible

---

The dollar advanced for a second day as two Federal Reserve officials indicated that the central bank may raise interest rates as soon as next month, bolstering the appeal of assets denominated in the U.S. currency.

The greenback climbed versus most of its major peers as Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart and San Francisco Fed chief John Williams said recent economic data may justify additional policy tightening after raising rates in December for the first time in almost a decade. The dollar rose from near a nine-month low reached last week after the central bank refrained from lifting borrowing costs at its March meeting and lowered its projections for the rest of the year.

The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index, which tracks the currency versus 10 peers, gained 0.3 percent to 1,189.65 as of 5 p.m. in New York. The greenback added 0.3 percent to $1.1241 per euro and 0.4 percent to 111.95 yen.

Source: Bloomberg