Dollar edges back from 18-month high after FOMC minutes

By Gregor Stuart Hunter SINGAPORE, Oct 8 (Reuters) The dollar held near its strongest level in a year-and-a-half in subdued trading at the start of the Asian session on Thursday, after ​hawkish minutes from the Federal Open Market Committee signaled policymakers ‌at the US central bank viewed inflation as the biggest risk to their outlook. The dollar index, which measures its strength against a basket of six currencies, was steady at 102.23 after rising 0.3% on Wednesday. The greenback remains within a few ‌pips ​of its strongest levels since April 9, ⁠2025, following the market turmoil ⁠that accompanied the so-called Liberation Day tariff announcement the previous week. Federal Reserve policymakers voted unanimously to raise interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point at the US central bank s September 15-16 ​meeting, but minutes released Wednesday indicated divisions over their rationale for doing so. The FOMC’s minutes reinforced the hawkish tone accompanying the Fed’s ⁠Sep