Wall St rallies after Fed statement; S&P has best day this year

NEW YORK: U.S. stock averages posted their best day this year and the dollar strengthened on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve signaled America's economy was strong enough to handle interest rate hikes in 2015, though it emphasized that shifts in policy would be gradual.

The dollar rose against most other currencies, but declined sharply against the Russian rouble, whose dramatic drop in recent weeks has caused a national economic crisis.