NEW YORK - The euro hit a 15-year peak against the yen and a five-week high against the dollar on Thursday after the European CentralBankraised interest rates for the eighth straight time and signaled further tightening to bring euro zone inflation to its medium-term target of 2 percent. The ECB lifted rates by 25 basis points (bps), as expected, to 3.5 percent, the highest in 22 years. Its staff have also increased their forecasts for inflation excluding energy and food, especially for this year and next, owing to past upward surprises. The inflation projection for this year was raised to 5.1 percent from 4.6 percent. ECB hikes rates to 22-year high and says not done yet ...Keep on reading: Euro advances, surges to 15-year peak vs yen, after ECB lifts rates