11.   A stronger role for the Social Democratic Party could further weaken the currency, Tichanek of ING said.

12.   A widening trade deficit has increased calls on Brazil to weaken its currency, the real, to make exports more competitive abroad.

13.   A weak franc, however, makes a rate cut less likely, since lower interest rates would weaken the currency further.

14.   Across the region weakening currencies are raising borrowing costs and prices of imported raw materials, and making it more expensive for companies to repay dollar-denominated debt.

15.   Brazilian interest rates rose and the currency weakened as persistent financial woes in Korea renewed concern about the Brazilian real, considered overvalued by economists.

16.   By the same token, the chance of lower rates generally weakens the currency.

17.   Cuts in interest rates often weaken a currency by reducing the returns available on investments denominated in that currency.

18.   Earlier during a brief stop in Beijing, Summers praised Chinese leaders for pledging not to weaken their currency.

19.   Even so, few analysts expect France to take any official action to weaken its currency.

20.   For now, other Asian countries are unlikely to follow Thailand in weakening their currencies, analysts said.