Swiss franc off, eyes on data

12 May, 2006

The Swiss franc was little changed against the euro but fell from recent highs against the dollar on Thursday ahead of Swiss consumer sentiment data later in the session. A median of economists in a Reuters poll sees the index rising to +9 points in April from +2 points in January and -15 in October.
The franc traded at 1.5583 per euro, unchanged on the day, while it fell to 1.2238 per dollar from 1.2184 on the previous close. That was still flirting with a fresh year high of 1.2125 reached on Wednesday when a US interest rate rise failed to change the view that the US Federal Reserve was near the end of its tightening cycle after 16 straight rate increases.
The move was also in line with a general dollar bounce after a US Treasury report that made markets believe pressure on Beijing to boost the yuan was now less immediate.
The franc has held up strongly against the dollar in recent weeks, prompting jitters about the SNB's next quarterly interest rate decision in June but UBS said that was premature.

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