1.   Speculators already had driven the price past what an acquiring company would pay, First Bank said.

2.   Traders and analysts said the market is being driven by speculators.

3.   What is more, the government is concerned that speculators will drive the yen down further.

4.   But others, such as Hong Kong and Singapore, also watched speculators driving down their currencies with little reason.

5.   However, he added that the government had to act when speculators drove up interest rates.

6.   Meanwhile, speculators are driving the palladium market artificially higher, in anticipation of any export delays.