Dollar Plunges Against Mark

The dollar sank to a 10-week low against the mark Thursday, falling in a broad technical sell-off, as the German currency derived further gains from the weakness of its European counterparts.

While the decline may have been aggravated by the Commerce Department’s report of an unexpected widening of America’s trade deficit in November, dealers noted the plunge came several hours after the release of the trade numbers.

“The trade numbers didn’t spark the sell-off of the dollar today. It was more technically driven,” said Richard Vullo, a vice president in New York for Germany’s Hypo-Bank.

In late New York trading, the dollar was quoted at 1.5150 marks, down from 1.5349 late Wednesday and the lowest level since Nov. 8.

Exchange Currency in Dollars Dollar in foreign currency Canada .7026 1.4233 France .1907 5.2425 Germany .6607 1.5135 Great Britain 1.5855 .6307 Japan .010103 98.98