Euro-area shipments to the U.S., which dropped in 2007 for the first time in four years, were flat at 15.4 billion euros ($24.6 billion) in the first month of 2008, the European Union's statistics office in Luxembourg said today. Exports to the U.K. rose 5 percent, while sales to Russia and China jumped 25 percent.

The euro reached a record near $1.60 against the dollar yesterday after European inflation data lessened the prospect of a European Central Bank interest-rate cut. That is adding to pressure on manufacturers trying to ship products into a U.S. economy teetering on the brink of a recession. France's Airbus this week said the euro's level is ``becoming unbearable.''

``A lot of the growth in the euro zone has been very much dominated by Germany and in particular trade,'' said Mitul Kotecha, head of foreign-exchange research at Calyon in London. ``Going forward, it's going to be quite risky. The reality is we're going to see some deterioration in trade and the strong euro is going to start to play a more negative part.''