Euro down from three-year high, bitcoin plunges

London

THE euro dropped half a per cent on Tuesday, as investors sold the currency after its best three-day performance in nearly two years; sources said the European Central Bank was unlikely to ditch a pledge to keep buying bonds at next week's meeting.

Bitcoin fell as much as 18 per cent to a four-week trough near US$11,000 after reports suggested it was still possible that South Korea could ban trading in cryptocurrencies, driving fears of a wider regulatory crackdown. Other cryptocurrencies also plunged.