LONDON, 7 April 2005 — The dollar was marginally higher in thin, lackluster trade yesterday in a day devoid of economic news, with the market looking ahead to European and British interest rate decisions today.

The euro fell to 1.2864 dollars in late European trade from 1.2870 late on Tuesday in New York. The dollar traded at 108.68 yen from 108.14 on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, European stock markets closed yesterday with modest gains as Wall Street extended its opening advance in tandem with easier crude prices following the latest US inventory data.

London’s FTSE 100 index edged up 0.09 percent to 4,947.40 points, the Frankfurt DAX 30 rose 0.38 percent to 4,379.18 and the Paris CAC 40 advanced 0.47 percent to 4,106.99. The DJ Euro Stoxx 50 index of leading euro zone shares won 0.40 percent to 3,076.23 points.

Elsewhere in Europe, the Swiss SMI index gained 0.92 percent at 6,002.38 points.

The Amsterdam AEX added 0.57 percent at 371.17 points, the Brussels Bel-20 rose 0.81 percent to 3,170.57, the Madrid Ibex-35 advanced 0.90 percent to 9,382.1 and the Milan SP Mib climbed 0.38 percent to 32,508.0.

In New York, the major indexes extended gains after two winning sessions: the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 46.26 points (0.44 percent) to 10,504.72 and the NASDAQ composite added 14.65 points (0.73 percent) to 2,013.97 at 1520 GMT.

The broad-market Standard and Poor’s 500 index advanced 5.46 points (0.46 percent) to 1,186.85.

Asian stocks gave Wall Street’s positive lead limited attention yesterday. The Tokyo Stock Exchange’s benchmark Nikkei-225 index rose 52.85 points to 11,827.16.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index closed up 48.85 points or 0.36 percent at 13,562.26. In Seoul, the KOSPI index closed up 5.50 points at 988.00, off a high of 990.34 and a low of 975.28.

In Sydney, the broader All Ordinaries Index was down 11.0 points to 4,106.2. The Philippine Stock Exchange composite index shed 0.32 points to 1,962.38 after trading between 1,954.31 and 1,970.25.

The Bombay Stock Exchange’s 30-share Sensex rose 56.12 points to 6,606.41.