Swiss Franc Weakens on Cap Speculation; Dollar Rallies After IMF
Allison Bennett, ©2011 Bloomberg News
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Sept. 20 (Bloomberg) -- The Swiss franc fell against the dollar and the euro amid speculation the Swiss National Bank may tighten its target to limit the currency's strength.
The dollar rallied and Treasuries erased their decline after the International Monetary Fund predicted severe global growth repercussions if Europe fails to contain the sovereign debt crisis. Swiss central bank spokesman Walter Meier in Zurich declined to comment when asked about speculation that policy makers may adjust the franc ceiling against the euro.
"That talk is the factor behind the Swiss," said Brian Kim, a currency strategist at Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc's RBS Securities unit in Stamford, Connecticut. "In this market, people are nervous enough that anything can get them to jump."
The franc weakened 0.6 percent to 1.2142 per euro at 10:24 a.m. in New York. It fell 0.6 percent to 88.77 centimes per U.S. dollar.
The euro was little changed at $1.3682. The shared currency traded at 104.77 yen, from 1.0482 yesterday, when it reached 103.96 yen, almost the least since 2001.
The Swiss National Bank imposed a 1.20 ceiling for the franc versus the euro on Sept. 6 with the central bank saying it would defend the level with the "utmost determination."
Franc Strength
The franc has risen 7.4 percent during the past 12 months among the 10 developed-nation currencies tracked by Bloomberg Correlation-Weighted Indexes. The euro has fallen 3.8 percent and the dollar weakened 6.6 percent.
The dollar strengthened today against most its major counterparts after the IMF said the European Central Bank should lower interest rates if risks to growth persist. The ECB's current benchmark rate is 1.5 percent.
The IMF also said the world's largest economy will expand 1.5 percent this year, down from the 2.5 percent projected in June and lowered its forecast for 2012, citing unresolved debt- reduction concerns and waning confidence among consumers and businesses.
The Dollar Index was little changed at 77.123. The yield on 10-year Treasury notes traded at 1.96 percent.
Australia's dollar was the biggest winner against the U.S. currency, rising 0.6 percent to $1.0280.
Europe Measure
German investor confidence fell to the lowest in more than 2 1/2 years in September as Europe's debt crisis and a global slowdown damped the outlook for growth.
The ZEW Center for European Economic Research in Mannheim said its index of investor and analyst expectations, which aims to predict developments six months in advance, declined to minus 43.3 in September from minus 37.6 last month, the lowest since December 2008. Economists expected a drop to minus 45, according to the median of 37 estimates in a Bloomberg News survey.
Greece had enough money for the 769 million euros of coupon payments due today as Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou's government will hold another call with EU and IMF officials tonight in a bid to secure a sixth installment of rescue funds. Greece's Finance Ministry described the talks with as "productive and substantive" yesterday.
"These days, when it's not downright negative, it's seen as positive," said Geoff Kendrick, head of European currency strategy at Nomura International Plc in London. "The trend is still down for the euro. We're predicting $1.30 for the euro by year-end and that seems to be where it's heading."
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