71.  A dealer at Credit Agricole Indosuez said the baht came into the spotlight while other regional currencies steadied or declined slightly.

72.  A dealer from a Bangkok-based American bank said that swap rates for every period are high amid the regional currency crisis.

73.  A chain of developments have led regional currencies lower in recent days.

74.  A dealer said investors were accumulating US-dollar-denominated stocks, largely seen as defensive stocks given uncertainties in the regional currency markets.

75.  A series of speculative attacks have pushed regional currencies sharply lower in recent weeks.

76.  Abandoning a dollar peg in favor of a more flexible regional currency basket could lead lower interest rates, but it also might increase foreign exchange market volatility.

77.  A trader with a foreign bank said commercial demand for dollars was negligible, with the peso benefiting from stable regional currencies.

78.  A regional currency crisis has forced Thailand, Indonesia and South Korea to seek help from the international financial agency.

79.  A trader with a local bank said the facility had a marked impact on damping demand for dollars Friday, despite the worsening regional currency situation.

80.  Abandoning a dollar peg in favor of a more flexible regional currency basket could lead interest rates lower, but it also might increase foreign exchange market volatility.