UPDATE 1-Swiss franc falls on talk of official selling

Thu Jun 25, 2009 6:51am EDT
 
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LONDON, June 25 (Reuters) - The Swiss franc fell to session lows against the dollar and euro on Thursday on talk from currency traders that the Swiss central bank was selling francs.

Several traders cited talk the Swiss National Bank was selling francs for euros and dollars on Thursday, possibly via the Bank for International Settlements.

Both the SNB and BIS declined to comment.

The market is still jittery a day after traders said the Swiss central bank had intervened to weaken the Swiss currency.

"It looks like the SNB may now be targeting a specific level, possibly 1.5 (franc per euro), and they want to take it as further up from that level as possible," one dealer said.

The euro jumped to 1.5369 francs EURCHF=R from around 1.5270 francs. By 1022 GMT, it was at 1.5327 francs, up 0.2 percent on the day.

The dollar rose to 1.1016 francs CHF= from around 1.0930 francs. It was last up 0.1 percent at 1.0997 francs.

The SNB repeatedly intervened in the currency market on Wednesday, traders said, giving a stark reminder that it is determined to fight deflation risks by preventing a rise in the Swiss franc.

The dollar shot up 3 percent on the day against the franc, on track for its biggest one-day gain since March 12, the day the SNB caught financial markets by surprise by accompanying monetary policy easing with intervention. (Reporting by London Markets Team; Editing by Victoria Main)

 

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