Ruble rises against dollar;
The ruble rose to its strongest level in almost 16 months against the dollar after unrest in the Middle East threatened to spread and as Bank Rossii widened its so-called ``floating corridor'' to curb inflation.
The ruble hit 2 1/2-year highs to the dollar on Tuesday after Russian policymakers said controlling inflation was a top priority, pointing to the prospect of higher domestic interest rates as the US currency came under broad pressure.