The dollar edged lower on Monday on contradictory views of prospects for an increase in U.S. interest rates. A usually dovish U.S. central banker, Boston Federal Reserve President Eric Rosengren, said it was "surprising" that futures markets currently imply only one or no interest-rate hikes this year, a prediction he said could prove "too pessimistic."
Investors have been trying to reconcile conflicting statements from U.S. Federal Reserve officials in recent weeks since the central bank issued its policy statement on March 16. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said last week the central bank would proceed cautiously in raising rates, in contrast to more hawkish comments from other Fed officials.
The apparent lack of cohesion has left investors uncertain in an environment of mixed economic data. New orders for U.S. factory goods fell in February and business spending on capital goods was much weaker than initially thought, the latest sign first-quarter economic growth remained sluggish. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 55.75 points, or 0.31 percent, to 17,737, the S&P 500 lost 6.65 points, or 0.32 percent, to 2,066.13 and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 22.75 points, or 0.46 percent, to 4,891.80. U.S. crude settled off 3 percent at $35.70 as a global glut seemed likely to continue.
Iran will raise its crude output and exports until it reaches pre-sanction levels, the semi-official Mehr news agency quoted Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh as saying. Prices have fallen from above $100 a barrel since mid-2014 on a supply glut, bottoming at $27.10 in late January. Brent topped $42.50 last month in anticipation of agreement among producers to freeze output.