The dollar rose against the yen and the euro, after trailing both currencies over the past week, after Janet Yellen said the Fed would wait before beginning its first series of Fed rate increases in more than six years.
The euro EURUSD, -0.01% traded at $1.23, its lowest level since Dec. 8, while the dollar USDJPY, -0.12% traded at 118.70 yen, its highest level since Dec. 12. They traded at $1.25 and ¥117.07 Tuesday, respectively.
In energy trading, gasoline for January delivery RBF5, +0.24% rose by 3 cents to settle at $1.57 a gallon on the Nymex.
January heating oil HOF5, -0.05% gained 5 cents to end at $2.01 a gallon on the Nymex.
U.S. crude-oil futures bounced back Wednesday, rebounding from a five-year low after data showed crude inventories declined, although less than forecast.
Crude futures for delivery in January CLF5, +0.21% settled higher by 54 cents, or 1%, at $56.47 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
Meanwhile, February Brent crude LCOG5, +0.34% on London’s ICE Futures exchange rose $1.17, or 1.9%, to $61.18 a barrel after it also plumbed a five-year low in earlier action.