Specs raise net U.S. dollar longs to highest since March -CFTC, Reuters

June 6 (Reuters) - Speculators lifted bullish bets on the

U.S. dollar in the latest week to their highest in three months,

according to data from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission

released on Friday.

The value of the dollar's net long position was $11.39

billion in the week ended June 3, from $7.44 billion the

previous week.

This week's long dollar position was the highest since the

week of March 4. Speculators have been net long dollars for a

fourth consecutive week, data show.

To be long a currency is a view it will rise, while being

short is a bet its value will decline.

Short-term investors more than doubled their net short

position in the euro to 33,025 contracts in an anticipation of

the European Central Bank's stimulus measures. The ECB did

launch a series of easing steps on Thursday and could increase

more negative bets on the euro.

The Reuters calculation for the aggregate U.S. dollar

position is derived from net positions of International Monetary

Market speculators in the yen, euro, sterling, Swiss franc and

Canadian and Australian dollars.

Japanese Yen (Contracts of 12,500,000 yen)

03Jun2014 week Prior week

Long 12,578 16,999

Short 86,796 76,035

Net (Dusseldorf: NETK.DU - news) -74,218 -59,036

EURO (Contracts of 125,000 euros)

03Jun2014 week Prior week

Long 57,109 70,753

Short 90,134 87,386

Net -33,025 -16,633

POUND STERLING (Contracts of 62,500 pounds sterling)

03Jun2014 week Prior week

Long 79,476 78,438

Short 44,502 43,134

Net 34,974 35,304

SWISS FRANC (Contracts of 125,000 Swiss francs)

03Jun2014 week Prior week

Long 11,907 11,559

Short 13,919 15,431

Net -2,012 -3,872

CANADIAN DOLLAR (Contracts of 100,000 Canadian dollars)

03Jun2014 week Prior week

Long 32,519 32,581

Short 55,250 54,391

Net -22,731 -21,810

AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR (Contracts of 100,000 Aussie dollars)

03Jun2014 week Prior week

Long 56,811 52,071

Short 35,284 36,223

Net 21,527 15,848

MEXICAN PESO (Contracts of 500,000 pesos)

03Jun2014 week Prior week

Long 105,666 101,808

Short 19,650 18,507

Net 86,016 83,301

NEW ZEALAND DOLLAR (Contracts of 100,000 New Zealand dollars)

03Jun2014 week Prior week

Long 22,400 22,034

Short 4,869 4,090

Net 17,531 17,944

(Reporting by Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss; Editing by Meredith (Frankfurt: MEZ.F - news)

Mazzilli)