The Swiss franc fell against the greenback in early trade on Thursday ahead of key U.S. inflation data later this session and on Friday that will provide more clues about the timing and size of expected U.S. interest rates rises. The dollar last changed hands at 1.2309/19 francs compared with levels around 1.2289/92 late on Wednesday in Europe, while the euro was trading around 1.5222/25 francs, versus levels of around 1.5210/15. On Wednesday, the dollar eased briefly after a report on U.S. retail sales appeared to show consumer spending in the world's largest economy was running out of momentum. The slowdown in consumer spending, which accounts for about two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, will keep the Federal Reserve on a moderate path of interest rate hikes, economists said after Wednesday's data. Economists now expect tepid U.S. inflation numbers will keep the dollar on the defensive. The U.S. producer price report is due at 1230 GMT and consumer price data is due on Friday. "Domestic factors have little impact on the franc these days," said UBS in its daily market bulletin. "The franc has been driven by global growth expectations, which have stabilised and probably slowed a bit over the coure of the second quarter."|||