P508ORACLE 508 Mon30 Dec C4 1732:05   THE      Mon Close    £ Index 78.0 (+0.1) Fri close 77.9 £1 = $1.4400 (+45 points) £1 = $1.4355 The currency market has another quiet session with few dealers keen to open new positions ahead of the New Year. In these thin conditions, a less-than- forecast rise in the US leading indicator had little effect on an already weak dealer. Sterling, at one stage more than a cent ahead, fell back, although it still ended ahead and the mark lost much of its early gains to end only 1.3pfg up.  City headlines 500 BARGAIN TRAVEL BRITISH RAIL *** 125