Dollar Falls Broadly; Gold Is Mixed

The dollar fell broadly against major foreign currencies in thin trading on Thursday, reflecting bearish sentiment over a weak U.S. economy and speculation that interest rates will decline further.

Gold prices were mixed overseas. The New York Commodity Exchange was closed Thursday because of the city’s Statue of Liberty-Fourth of July celebrations.

In early trading, the dollar fell close to a postwar low against the Japanese yen in Tokyo and continued to drop later in Europe.

Dealers said the dollar weakened in Japan on unusually heavy dollar sales by speculators and was supported only briefly by Bank of Japan intervention and by dollar buying among traders trying to cover short positions before the long holiday weekend in the United States.

U.S. financial markets and banks are to close on Friday for the Independence Day holiday, and some markets closed early or all day on Thursday.