(Repeats to fix technical glitch)
* Eur/dlr under pressure but support likely near $1.3500
* Euro around 17-mth low vs Swiss franc after SNB comments
* Sterling dips after comments from BoE"s Sentance
By Kaori Kaneko
TOKYO, March 19 (Reuters) - The euro stabilised but remainedunder pressure on Friday after Greece said it could not achievepromised deficit cuts if its borrowing costs remain so high.
The euro had fallen broadly the previous day on worries overGreece"s debt problems after a media report said the country wasnot optimistic about aid from euro zone members and could call inthe International Monetary Fund if European leaders do not agreeon a rescue plan next week.
But Greece said aid from the global lender was a last resort.[ID:nLDE62H0LL]
"Uncertainty surrounding a rescue for Greece suggests thatthe euro is facing deep structural problems and a quickresolution is unlikely," said Kosuke Hanao, head of Treasuryproduct sales at HSBC in Tokyo.
"So, the euro will struggle to gain for sometime to come,even when the dollar slides against other major currencies," hesaid.
The euro was steady around $1.3620 EUR= after falling asmuch as 1 percent to $1.3586 on trading platform EBS the previousday. The European single currency has pulled back from afive-week high of $1.3819 hit on EBS earlier this week.
Near term support for the euro is seen around $1.3500 as thecurrency stayed above that level last week, traders said.
The European single currency also hovered around a 17-monthlow against the Swiss franc after Swiss National Bank boardmember Jean-Pierre Danthine said on Thursday that Swiss firms andconsumers should prepare for rising borrowing costs as interestrates cannot stay ultra-low forever. [ID:nLDE62H2EE]
The euro was steady at 1.4405 francs EURCHF= after fallingas far as 1.4355 francs on EBS on Thursday, its weakest levelsince October 2008.
The euro, however, found some bids against sterling afterBank of England policymaker Andrew Sentance said there is a riskBritain may suffer a double-dip recession, although it was notthe most likely scenario. [ID:nLAW002125] [nLAW002126]
The euro rose 0.2 percent against sterling to 89.44 penceEURGBP= while sterling fell 0.2 percent to $1.5224 GBP=D4.
The dollar was seen supported against the yen by the regularcommercial needs of Japanese firms on every fifth day of themonth and before a three-day weekend in Japan, but the upper endof 90 yen was capped by heavy sell orders, traders said.
The dollar rose 0.1 percent to 90.45 yen JPY= and the eurowas up 0.2 percent at 123.23 yen EURJPY=R.
Higher-yielding currencies such as the Australian dollarretained strength on firm regional stocks. Asian stocks.MIAPJ0000PUS .N225 rose on Friday with investor expectationsof a steady economic recovery helping markets close in on a sixthstraight week of gains.
"Currencies of countries with resources such as the Aussieand the Canadian dollar are gaining support as global stocks havebeen basically firm," said a trader at a Japanese bank.
"We may see some profit-taking in those currencies but theyare likely to remain firm," he said.
The Aussie rose 0.2 percent to $0.9221 AUD=D4, in sight ofan eight-week high of $0.9253 hit this week. Against the yen, theAussie advanced 0.3 percent to 83.39 yen AUDJPY=R.
Against the Canadian dollar, the greenback was up 0.2 percentat C$1.0162 CAD=D4 but stayed within a reach of a 20-month lowof C$1.0071 touched on Wednesday.
Traders say the pair may hit parity in the near term onspeculation that Canadian interest rates may soon rise. Themarket awaits Canadian consumer inflation data for February andretail sales for January due later in the day. ECONCA (Additional reporting by Satomi Noguchi; Editing by EdwinaGibbs)
Currencies
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