The Swiss franc weakened for a second day against the euro and the dollar on speculation the nation’s central bank stepped up sales of its currency to stem gains that are hindering exports. The franc slid as much as 0.5 percent versus the euro and 0.3 percent compared with the dollar. Swiss National bank Chairman Jean-Pierre Roth said on June 18 policy makers are determined to “stop a further appreciation of the franc.” Nicolas Haymoz, a bank spokesman, declined to comment on whether the bank acted in foreign-exchange markets today. The franc slid to 1.5327 per euro as of 12:38 p.m., from 1.5294 yesterday, and dropped to 1.0991 per dollar, from 1.0979. Currency traders said the SNB entered the market twice yesterday, driving the franc 1.8 percent lower against the euro and 2.9 percent down versus the dollar. “If you look at the move in the franc, it’s a certainty that the SNB was back in the market,” Patrick Liniger, a currency trader in Lucerne at Luzerner Kantonalbank.

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