What is the main idea of the passage? [br] [originaltext]Fed Chair Janet Yellen

Fed Chair Janet Yellen announced Dec. 16 that the central bank would raise interest rates for the first time in almost a decade. Any further monetary tightening will be gradual and contingent on continued economic health, she explained, projecting that rates would rise 3 percentage points in three years. What should the average consumer make of all this economic commentary? Here’s who wins and loses.

There are two senses in which currencies can strengthen or weaken; domestic and international — and they are related. Domestically, a currency becomes stronger if a given amount of the currency can buy more commodities; weaker if it can purchase fewer commodities. The dollar is weaker if there is inflation; it is stronger if there is deflation. Internationally, a currency is considered stronger or weaker as its exchange value versus other currencies increases or decreases.