Dollar Rallies, Then Falls Vs. Yen, Mark

The dollar finished barely changed against the German mark and Japanese yen Friday, failing to hold gains after February unemployment was reported at a 24-year low and Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin said Asia’s crisis seems unlikely to worsen.

The dollar rallied in morning trading immediately after the Labor Department reported that last month’s jobless rate fell to 4.6 percent, its lowest level since October 1973, giving another strong example of the vibrant U.S. economy.

Despite the rosy picture, the dollar gave back most of its gains after both buying spurts.

In late New York trading, the dollar was quoted at 1.8328 marks, down from 1.8335 late Thursday. The U.S. currency also was quoted at 127.93 yen, up from 127.81.