[originaltext] The pound plunged to its lowest level against the dollar for

The pound plunged to its lowest level against the dollar for four years as the American currency soared to a new peak on the world’s financial markets.
    Share prices received a shock yesterday when the government increased interest rates to fifteen per cent. As a result, the Footsie slumped forty-two points closing at two thousand two hundred and eighty-one, its lowest level for ten weeks.
    Minsk Data announced reductions in its workforce yesterday. Because of a small dip in profits, the company is in the red for the first time.
    Yesterday, in a major collapse on the Tokyo stock market, the Nikkei average plunged five hundred and fifty-nine points because of the failure of the powerful New York bond market. And because of a sudden surge in profits from its overseas operations, Drexol is back in the black after two years of disappointing results.
    Well, there’s nothing like an attack of nerves on Wall Street for unsettling the world’s stock markets. Already, an overnight plunge of 53.71 in the Dow Jones has had an impact in the Far East. As a result the UK market is likely to be depressed later this morning. The Hang Seng Index fell almost 2% to 12, 882 ending a rally that’s been going on for several weeks.
    Back home -- having fallen 21 points yesterday, the London share market badly needs good news to improve the situation. However, rumors that Britain’s trade figures for the next quarter are disappointing again will not help.