Major currencies stuck to tight ranges in early Asian trading on Wednesday as investors awaited the outcome of the Federal Reserve's March policy meeting later in the day. Against a basket of key rival currencies, the dollar was broadly steady at 96.388 after hitting its lowest level since March 1 at 96.291 in overnight trading. The index has lost almost 1.4 percent after climbing to a three-month high of 97.71 on March 7, on views the Fed will strike a dovish tone during its latest policy meeting. Investors are focused on the Fed to see whether the central bank will affirm its commitment to "patient" monetary policy and for clues about the likely path of U.S. borrowing costs. New orders for U.S.-made goods rose less than expected in January and shipments fell for a fourth straight month, offering more evidence of a slowdown in U.S. manufacturing activity, overnight data showed. More positive signs were evident in Germany as a survey by the ZEW research institute indicated the mood among German investors improved more than expected in March, as a potential delay to Britain's exit from the European Union helped lift sentiment.