In times of heightened global risk, investors flock to the dollar as their capacity or willingness to bear risk declines. As a result, the dollar appreciates. This column examines the effects of global risk shocks and the dollar’s role in the international adjustment to such shocks, finding that appreciation of the dollar amplifies the adverse effect of global risk shocks considerably. Policies that stabilise the dollar in the face of global risk, such as the liquidity provision by the Federal Reserve in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, can help stabilise global economic activity.