Dollar briefly hits 1.5-month high at 145 yen in New York

The U.S. dollar briefly advanced to the 145-yen line in New York on Friday, a level unseen since late June, as a fresh rise in key U.S. long-term interest rates prompted dollar-buying and yen-selling.

After hitting 145.00 yen, the dollar was quoted at 144.90-145.00 yen at 5 p.m. Friday, compared with 144.72-82 yen a day earlier. The dollar traded at 143.80-81 yen late Thursday in Tokyo. Financial markets in Japan were closed Friday due to a holiday.

The wholesale U.S. price index for July, released in the morning, rose by a higher-than-expected 0.8 percent, fueling speculation that the country...