The US economy added 295,000 jobs in February and unemployment remains low, but rate hike fears caused a sharp sell-off in US stocks. The NASDAQ touched 5,000 for the first time since 2000, though gold and silver continued their downtrend as the strong dollar increased. Crude oil found a bottom at $45 but further upside is limited, while sugar prices hit a 5-year low with no sign of a turnaround. The Indian rupee has strengthened against most major currencies since September 2014, appreciating 13-14.7% versus the Japanese yen, euro, and Australian dollar.