FOREX-Yen jumps, euro slumps amid Ukraine tensions, Fed jitters

The safe-haven yen and U.S. dollar rose on Tuesday while the risk-sensitive New Zealand dollar fell with the euro amid escalating worries about both a potential military conflict in Ukraine and a faster pace of Federal Reserve policy tightening. The Australian dollar rose briefly after strong consumer price numbers boosted the case for a Reserve Bank interest rate increase this year, but then succumbed to the sell-off in riskier assets. The Fed begins a two-day policy meeting later in the global day, and investors will be anxious for any hints on the timing and pace of rate hikes, as well as about how fast the central bank will shrink its more-than $8 trillion holdings of Treasuries and mortgage debt.