Dollar Gains Ground

The dollar advanced sharply Tuesday, buoyed by fears of Boris Yeltsin’s failing health and speculation of a looming interest rate cut in Germany.

The dollar got its initial boost during the European and U.S. trading day with the news that the Russian president had been hospitalized with acute heart trouble.

That called into question Russia’s political as well as economic stability and sent investors into dollardenominated assets, invigorating demand for dollars.

The migration particularly affected the German mark because Germany’s economy, the biggest in Europe, is particularly susceptible to sudden shifts in Russia.

Canada .7389 1.3533 France .2052 4.8730 Germany .7128 1.4030 Great Britain 1.5885 .6295 Italy .000616 1623.00 Japan .011438 87.43 Mexico .163399 6.1200