🇺🇸JUST IN: The US dollar has hit its HIGHEST level in 18 months. The dollar index rose to 102.58, its strongest level since April 2025. It’s up 3.5% in the past month alone. A stronger dollar makes imports cheaper for Americans, but raises costs for countries and companies that borrow in dollars. Investors expect inflation to rise further, with markets pricing in another Fed rate HIKE in December, per Trading Economics.