Central Bank Interest Rates

TOKYO - Japan's central bank kept its key interest rate unchanged at 0.1 percent Friday and upgraded its assessment of the world's second largest economy because of an improvement in exports.

NEW YORK - The dollar's appeal as a safe haven sent it higher against other major currencies Thursday after reports on housing and unemployment raised fears the U.S.

WASHINGTON - The dollar's appeal as a safe haven sent it higher in trading Thursday after reports on housing and unemployment raised fears that the economy will be weak next year.

NEW YORK - The dollar mostly declined Wednesday, with the euro bumping up near $1.50 as a Federal Reserve official said in a speech that interest rates could possibly not rise until 2012 from their current record low near zero - if the Fed acts as it has before.