国际英语新闻：Dollar hits 15-year low against yen, one-month low against euro

NEW YORK, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The dollar weakened against all major currencies on Tuesday as better-than-expected economic data and speculation of no immediate government intervention in Japanese yen weighed on the greenback.

The dollar hit a 15-year low against the yen, nearing 83 yen level, while the euro rallied above 1.30 dollars. The dollar also fell below one Swiss franc.

Both the yen and Swiss franc have strengthened against the dollar this summer with growing concerns that the U.S. economic growth would slow sharply in the second half of the year.

A signboard shows the U.S. dollar trading at the upper 82 yen level on the late evening in Tokyo September 14, 2010. The dollar fell below 83 yen for the first time in 15 years on Tuesday after Japan's prime minister won a ruling party leadership vote, reducing the chances Japanese authorities would attempt to stem yen gains.

On Tuesday, upbeat economic data prompted risk appetite. The U. S. Commerce Department reported that total retail sales in August rose 0.4 percent following a revised 0.3 percent rise in July. Meanwhile, business inventories rose one percent in July, exceeding the 0.7 percent increase market had expected.

In Japan, current Prime Minister Naoto Kan won the ruling party leadership vote, prompting market speculation that there won't be an immediate action to weaken the yen.

In late Tuesday trading, the euro rose to 1.3019 dollars from 1. 2867 dollars late Monday, while the British pound gained to 1.5569 dollars from 1.5408 dollars.

In other trading, the dollar fell to 83.07 Japanese yen from 83. 63 yen, slid to 0.9950 Swiss francs from 1.0085 francs and dipped lower to 1.0248 Canadian dollars from 1.0271 Canadian dollars on late Monday.