LONDON, 24 September 2003 — The dollar plummeted to a three-year low against the yen here yesterday while the euro surged to the 1.15-dollar mark for the first time since late July before slipping back as a bout of profit-taking set in.

The euro in late-day deals was trading at 1.1476 dollars, after jumping to 1.1530 in early deals, and against 1.1459 late in New York on Monday.

Against the yen, the dollar slid to 110.92, its lowest reading for nearly three years. The greenback was later trading at 111.61 yen, down from 112.21 on Monday.

The euro was changing hands at 1.1487 dollars from 1.1459 late on Monday in New York, 128.19 yen (128.57), 0.6939 pounds (0.6942) and 1.5543 Swiss francs from 1.5522.

The dollar was being quoted at 111.61 yen (112.21) and 1.3526 Swiss francs (1.3544).

On the London Bullion Market, the price of an ounce of gold edged up to $384.60 from $385.50 on Monday afternoon.

Meanwhile, European share prices fell further yesterday. The London FTSE 100 index dipped 0.15 percent to 4,221.7 while in Paris the CAC 40 was down 0.52 percent to 3,266.04 at the end of the session. In Frankfurt the DAX gave up 1.31 percent to reach 3,411.02. The pan-European DJ Euro Stoxx 55 finished on a loss of 0.45 percent at 2,476.3. Elsewhere stocks 1.31 percent to 322.74 in Amsterdam, 0.22 percent to 25,505 in Milan and 0.51 percent to 2,092.78 in Brussels. Prices were stable in Madrid at 6,953.1 while the Swiss Market Index of London-quote shares finished with a loss of 0.85 percent at 5,212.4.

In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 1.82 points, or 0.02 percent, to 9,537.23. The broader Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 1.79 points, or 0.18 percent, to 1,024.61. The technology-laced NASDAQ Composite Index added 10.86 points, or 0.58 percent, to 1,885.48.

Asian share prices closed narrowly mixed. The fact that Tokyo was closed for a public holiday. In Seoul, the composite index closed up 3.95 points or 0.55 percent at 718.84. In Hong Kong, the key Hang Seng index rose 71.09 points or 0.65 percent to close at 10,944.36.

In Sydney, the All Ordinaries index was down 13.0 points at 3,187.2. In Singapore, the Straits Times Index closed 1.73 points, or 0.11 percent, higher at 1,588.36.

The Philippine Stock Exchange composite index fell 10.99 points or 0.84 percent to 1,303.01 after trading between 1,299.63 and 1,313.60 points. The Bombay Stock Exchange’s 30-share index rose 79.97 points or 1.93 percent to close at 4,231.69.