Dollar Skids As Expectations Fade

Traders sent the greenback tumbling Thursday as doubts grew that central bankers would intervene in the market to boost the dollar against leading currencies.

Traders squared their positions and dumped dollars as they awaited U.S. economic data on employment today and the end of the meeting of ministers from the Group of Seven industrial nations.

Also Thursday, unconfirmed rumors of central bank buying of German marks spurred traders to buy marks, weakening the dollar.

In late New York trading, the dollar ended at 99.40 Japanese yen, down from 100.95 yen Wednesday. It also fell to 1.4190 German marks from 1.4354 marks.

Exchange Currency in Dollars Dollar in foreign currency Canada .7482 1.3365 France .2028 4.9320 Germany .7032 1.4220 Great Britain 1.5850 .6309 Italy .000623 1605.70 Japan .010025 99.75 Mexico .153610 6.5100