AdvertisementAdvertisementBusinessFILE PHOTO: U.S. dollar banknotes are seen in this illustration taken March 24, 2026. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo20 Apr 2026 06:38AM Bookmark Bookmark WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedInAdd CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results.Read a summary of this article on FAST.Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST TOKYO, April 20 : The dollar headed for its highest level in a week at the start of Asian trading on Monday as renewed tensions in the Middle East sent investors scurrying for safe havens.The dollar index, which measures the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, climbed as much as 0.3 per cent to reach 98.485, its highest level since April 13. This reversed a selloff that saw the currency fall to its lowest levels since the start of the war on Friday as hopes for a peace deal grew."Weekend developments may temper this optimism," analysts from Westpac wrote in a research note.On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump said that the U.S. military had seized an Iranian cargo ship that tried to run its blockade, while Iran said it would not participate in a second round of peace talks despite Trump's threat of renewed airstrikes. Show MoreShow LessAnalysts at Barclays said their sentiment data showed investors still favoured the dollar, so it had more room to drop should the situation in the Middle East normalise."Any (market) wobble would likely have less space to extend and may even prove opportune to re-establish short dollar exposures," they said in a note dated Sunday. "The question here remains on whether this wobble is even worth trading given all the related noise and uncertainties."The euro was down 0.3 per cent at $1.1731, while the British pound fell by the same magnitude to $1.3480.Against the yen, the U.S. dollar was up 0.2 per cent at 158.945 yen and 0.1 per cent stronger against the Chinese yuan at 6.8244 yuan in offshore trade.The Australian dollar fell 0.6 per cent to $0.7122 while the New Zealand dollar slid 0.4 per cent to $0.5856.Bitcoin was down 0.7 per cent at $74,130.13, as ether shed 0.7 per cent to $2,266.10.Source: ReutersNewsletterWeek in ReviewSubscribe to our Chief Editor’s Week in ReviewOur chief editor shares analysis and picks of the week's biggest news every Saturday.Sign up for our newslettersGet our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inboxSubscribe hereGet the CNA appStay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best storiesDownload hereGet WhatsApp alertsJoin our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat appJoin hereAlso worth readingContent is loading...Expand to read the full storyGet bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST