Yuan slide might be 'end of an era'

Fluctuations seen by some analysts as deliberate move by central bank

The yuan closed at an eight-month low against the dollar on Friday after a sharp mid-day dip. Economists said this volatility might signal the end of nearly a decade of gains for the currency.

The yuan was down by 0.9 percent during the trading day, the biggest such movement since at least April 2007.