61.  Profit-taking from Japanese corporate accounts and interbank dealers weighted on the American currency against both the yen and the German mark, traders said.

62.  Since the Hong Kong dollar is pegged to its U.S. counterpart, any devaluation in the American currency lowers the value of Hong Kong stocks.

63.  Speculation that Germany may cut interest rates also helped the American currency.

64.  Some Japanese exporting companies and institutional investors sold the American currency on a limited scale early in the session, traders said.

65.  The American currency is considered a safe haven in times of international unrest.

66.  The American currency often is considered a safe-haven in times of international unrest.

67.  The American currency then rebounded on short-covering ahead of the release of key German employment data later Thursday, traders said.

68.  The American currency moved higher early in the session on buying by Japanese securities companies and banks, traders said.

69.  The American currency was supported by a continued fall in the U.S. trade deficit with Japan.

70.  That means Japanese and South Korean companies are now earning less for their exports priced in the American currency.