Speculators pare U.S. dollar bets in latest week -CFTC, Reuters data

June 20 (Reuters) - Speculators reduced bets favoring the

U.S. dollar in the latest week, according to data from the

Commodity Futures Trading Commission released on Friday.

The value of the dollar's net long position slipped to

$12.19 billion in the week ended June 17, from longs of $15.95

billion the previous week. This was the first dip in net long

dollar position after increasing the last five weeks.

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

short is a bet its value will decline.

The week also saw an increase in the euro's net short

position to 61,835 contracts, from 57,185 contracts the previous

week, with sentiment still reeling from the European Central

Bank's announcement of stimulus measures two weeks ago to lift a

sluggish euro zone economy.

Short-term investors also raised long positions on the pound

to 52,596 contracts from 35,842 previously. The Bank of England

is expected to be one of the first central banks in the

developed world to raise interest rates.

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)

17Jun2014 week Prior week

Long 17,832 11,893

Short 85,870 94,055

Net (Dusseldorf: NETK.DU - news) -68,038 -82,162

EURO (Contracts of 125,000 euros)

17Jun2014 week Prior week

Long 51,405 43,739

Short 113,240 100,924

Net -61,835 -57,185

POUND STERLING (Contracts of 62,500 pounds sterling)

17Jun2014 week Prior week

Long 100,434 85,202

Short 47,838 49,360

Net 52,596 35,842

SWISS FRANC (Contracts of 125,000 Swiss francs)

17Jun2014 week Prior week

Long 15,296 9,615

Short 11,776 12,645

Net 3,520 -3,030

CANADIAN DOLLAR (Contracts of 100,000 Canadian dollars)

17Jun2014 week Prior week

Long 34,582 30,303

Short 56,115 54,411

Net -21,533 -24,108

AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR (Contracts of 100,000 Aussie dollars)

17Jun2014 week Prior week

Long 61,078 62,141

Short 34,049 33,894

Net 27,029 28,247

MEXICAN PESO (Contracts of 500,000 pesos)

17Jun2014 week Prior week

Long 91,227 106,566

Short 22,152 16,363

Net 69,075 90,203

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

17Jun2014 week Prior week

Long 21,671 20,401

Short 17,938 3,546

Net 3,733 16,855

(Reporting by Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss; Editing by James

Dalgleish)