Dollar Slips Against Mark, Yen

The dollar fell slightly against key currencies in quiet, directionless trading Thursday as dealers awaited January wholesale price data for indications on the direction of the U.S. economy and interest rates.

“The dollar has been locked in a tight range,” said Tom Benfer, director of foreign exchange at the Bank of Montreal in New York. “We haven’t had any substantive information on the economy all week. The market is marking time.”

In late New York trading, the dollar was quoted at 98.90 Japanese yen, down from 98.95 late Wednesday. The dollar also was changing hands in New York at 1.5286 German marks, down from 1.5314.

Currency in Dollar in

Exchange Dollars foreign currency

Canada .7159 1.3969

France .1891 5.2885

Germany .6537 1.5297

Great Britain 1.5555 .6429

Japan .010108 98.93