* Congress passes U.S. stimulus bill, awaits Trump approval
* Vaccines can be used vs new variant -U.S. health secretary Aussie, NZ dollar fall vs dollar
* U.S. housing, consumer confidence data disappoints
* Graphic: World FX rates in 2020 https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E
(Adds comments, updates prices)
By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss
NEW YORK, Dec 22 (Reuters) - The dollar rose on Tuesday in thin trading, as concerns about a
coronavirus variant raging in Britain that has caused lockdowns and travel restrictions have dampened
optimism about a U.S. stimulus bill that Congress passed overnight.
Risk appetite took a hit, as U.S. stocks fell except for the Nasdaq, and U.S. Treasuries rallied.
Currencies tied to higher risk appetite such as the Australian and New Zealand dollars were also weaker
against the greenback.
"Momentum, market positioning, and the skew in the options market all warn of the risk of an upside
correction in the dollar, even if the precise timing is difficult to predict," said Marc Chandler, chief
market strategist, at Bannockburn Global Forex in New York.
"At the same time, the pandemic in Europe, lockdowns, and a seemingly less aggressive approach to the
vaccines, including orders suggested a bleak Q1 in 2021," he added.
Tuesday's data was weaker than expected, with U.S. existing home sales falling more than expected in
November and the consumer confidence index lower than forecast. The weak U.S
reports reinforced the dollar's rally.
Meanwhile, an $892 billion COVID-19 aid package passed by Congress is awaiting President Donald
Trump's approval to become law. Some analysts though said the relief package has already been
priced in the market and therefore the impact has been muted.
Investors overall remained concerned about the new coronavirus variant even as medical experts sought
to ease concerns about it.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said on Tuesday the coronavirus variant had not yet been
detected in the United States, while Health Secretary Alex Azar told Fox News the Pfizer/BioNTech and
Moderna vaccines, which received U.S. emergency use authorizations this month, should be effective at
preventing illness from the variant of the virus. In afternoon trading, the dollar index rose 0.6% to 90.675 =USD , as the euro fell 0.7% to $1.2156
EUR=EBS .
The dollar rose 0.4% versus the yen to 103.70 yen JPY=EBS .
The market has been positioned for a weaker dollar. It is pricing in a pandemic recovery that lifts
commodity prices and benefits exporters and their currencies at the expense of the dollar.
"I still think the dollar is going to remain under significant pressure for the first half of the
year. We have U.S. equities that are overvalued and overpriced," said Ronald Simpson, managing director,
global currency analysis at Action Economics in Florida.
"Once COVID calms down there will be more opportunity in emerging markets," he added.
Sterling also slid against the dollar, down 0.9% at $1.3350 GBP=D3 . The pound slipped versus the
euro as well, down 0.1% at 91.03 pence per euro.
There is a post-Brexit trade deal on the table between Britain and the European Union, and while both
sides want to wrap up negotiations before Christmas Eve, the talks remain strained, the Sun newspaper
reported on Tuesday, citing a senior British source. The Australian dollar AUD= fell 0.8% to US$0.7525. The New Zealand dollar NZD= lost 0.7% to
US$0.7044.
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Currency bid prices at 2:53PM (1953 GMT)
Description RIC Last U.S. Close Pct Change YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid
Previous Change
Session
Dollar index =USD 90.6680 90.1320 +0.60% +0.00% +90.7210 +90.0550
Euro/Dollar EUR=EBS $1.2158 $1.2248 -0.73% +8.45% +$1.2257 +$1.2157
Dollar/Yen JPY=EBS 103.6950 103.3150 +0.37% -4.58% +103.7300 +103.2950
Euro/Yen EURJPY= 126.06 126.45 -0.31% +3.37% +126.6600 +126.0400
Dollar/Swiss CHF=EBS 0.8900 0.8859 +0.47% -8.02% +0.8901 +0.8846
Sterling/Dollar GBP=D3 $1.3352 $1.3471 -0.88% +0.68% +$1.3467 +$1.3305
Dollar/Canadian CAD=D3 1.2908 1.2858 +0.40% -0.62% +1.2933 +1.2845
Aussie/Dollar AUD=D3 $0.7526 $0.7587 -0.84% +7.22% +$0.7590 +$0.7517
Euro/Swiss EURCHF= 1.0820 1.0841 -0.19% -0.29% +1.0847 +1.0816
Euro/Sterling EURGBP= 0.9104 0.9094 +0.11% +7.69% +0.9155 +0.9084
NZ NZD=D3 $0.7044 $0.7096 -0.73% +4.68% +$0.7105 +$0.7032
Dollar/Dollar
Dollar/Norway NOK=D3 8.7395 8.6340 +1.11% -0.48% +8.7490 +8.6325
Euro/Norway EURNOK= 10.6297 10.6020 +0.26% +8.05% +10.6588 +10.5450
Dollar/Sweden SEK= 8.3382 8.2352 +0.51% -10.78% +8.3450 +8.2442
Euro/Sweden EURSEK= 10.1390 10.0880 +0.51% -3.15% +10.1593 +10.0945