LONDON, 21 April 2005 — Europe’s single currency climbed yesterday to a level last seen on March 22 as unexpected US inflation figures cast doubt over the prospects for economic growth in the United States.

The single European currency rose to 1.3081 dollars in European trading, from 1.3058 late on Tuesday in New York. The dollar traded for 106.74 yen against 106.75 on Tuesday. In afternoon trading, the euro rose above 1.31 euros - a level last seen on March 22 - before subsequently easing back.

US inflation figures had briefly boosted the dollar, but traders then sold the US currency for the rest of the session.

On the London Bullion Market, the price of an ounce of gold advanced to $433.20 against $427.45 late on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, European stock markets lost more ground yesterday. The FTSE dropped 0.69 percent to 4,822.0 points, while the Frankfurt DAX 30 lost 0.62 percent to 4,178.62 and in Paris the CAC 40 shed 0.31 percent to 3,972.96. The DJ Euro Stoxx 50 index of leading euro zone shares gave up 0.44 percent to 2,944.33 points.

In Amsterdam, the AEX index gave up 0.78 percent to 353.89, the Swiss SMI was down 1.06 percent at 5,914.66, in Milan the SP Mib was off 0.20 percent at 31,025, in Madrid the Ibex-35 fell 0.33 percent to 9,016.60 and in Brussels the Bel-20 closed 0.71 percent lower at 3,068.47.

In New York, Wall Street shares wobbled yesterday. Amid several moves up and down for major indexes, the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 22.10 points (0.22 percent) to 10,149.51, and the NASDAQ added 6.37 points (0.33 percent) to 1,938.73 at 1640 GMT. But the broad-market Standard and Poor’s 500 index drifted down 1.21 points (0.10 percent) to 1,151.57.

Asian stocks closed mostly firmer yesterday. The Tokyo Stock Exchange’s benchmark Nikkei-225 index rose 22.72 points to 11,088.58, off the day’s high of 11,199.38. In Seoul, The KOSPI index closed up 4.91 points at 937.36, off a high of 948.73 and a low of 930.06. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index closed up 57.54 points at 13,501.63, off a low of 13,489.13 and high of 13,567.94. In Sydney, the broader All Ordinaries index added 5.5 points at 4,001.9.