1.   Boissonnat said the European currency crisis in March had forced the Bank of France to push rates higher to protect the franc.

2.   Interest rates had to be raised to protect the franc during the recent currency turmoil.

3.   Short-dated French bonds plunged today after the Bank of France raised rates to protect the franc.

4.   The Bank of France has pegged its floor rate above the German repo rate to protect the franc.

5.   Today, it left its leading rates unchanged, in what economists said was an attempt to protect the franc.