NEW YORK – The dollar was higher against the euro, but fell against the other major currencies late Thursday, tamped by weak American manufacturing and industrial output data.

The 15-nation euro edged lower to $1.5454 from 1.5461 late Wednesday, even as Germany, the euro zone's largest economy, saw its economy grow by 1.5 percent in the first quarter from the last three months of 2007, its quickest pace in more than a decade.

The British pound rose to $1.9451 from $1.9441, while the dollar slipped to 105.26 Japanese yen from 106.38 yen the day before.

Federal Reserve data Thursday showed industrial production dropped 0.7 percent last month, more than double the decline economists had expected. That reflected big cutbacks in auto production and other manufacturing industries.

The Fed also reported on regional manufacturing activity in New York and Philadelphia. The Empire State Manufacturing index dropped more than expected, while manufacturing in Philadelphia showed a slower rate of decline.

In other economic news, the Labor Department said Thursday that applications for jobless claims rose by 6,000 last week to 371,000, as expected.

There have been four straight months of job losses.

These reports compounded recent worries about the U.S. economic outlook, raising the possibility that the Federal Reserve would trim interest rates again, especially as Wednesday's inflation data came in tame. The Fed has cut its key rate seven cuts since September.

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, in a speech Thursday, gave no clues as to the central bank's future moves on interest rates, instead calling on banks to raise capital and better manage their risk-taking.

While the Fed has been cutting interest rates aggressively in an effort to help the U.S. economy, the European Central Bank has kept its own rates on hold, concentrating on the fight against inflation.

Higher interest rates can help bolster a currency by making certain types of investments more attractive.

In other New York trading, the dollar was almost unchanged against the Swiss franc, changing hands at 1.0565 francs, down from 1.0567 Wednesday. The dollar slid to 1.0009 Canadian dollars from 1.0031.