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SINGAPORE: The euro held steady below a three-week high against the dollar on Friday, as investors awaited this weekend´s first round of voting in France´s presidential election.

The euro was flat at $1.0718, after having risen to as high as $1.0778 on Thursday, its strongest since late March.

Security concerns have taken centre stage in the run up to Sunday´s vote.

A French policeman was shot dead and two others were wounded in central Paris on Thursday night in an attack claimed by the Islamic State militant group.

Polls have forecast that the most likely outcome of Sunday´s first round of voting is centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen -- who wants to take France out of the European Union -- facing off in the May 7 second round.

Should Macron rank first or second in Sunday´s election, he is seen easily winning the runoff vote on May 7. Masafumi Yamamoto, chief currency strategist for Mizuho Securities in Tokyo expected limited action in the euro ahead of the vote, with traders largely just adjusting positions.

The size of the vote for Le Pen could be key to the euro´s performance when markets reopen after the vote.