FOREX-Dollar drops to fresh 2-1/2-year low on continued stimulus optimism

* Mnuchin says Trump would sign McConnell stimulus deal
* U.S. ADP report shows slowing private sector hiring
* Euro hits fresh 2-1/2-year peak
* Sterling falls on negative Brexit headline
* Graphic: World FX rates in 2020 https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E

(Recasts, adds new analyst comment, U.S. ADP data, FX table, updates prices, previous LONDON)
By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss and Suzanne Barlyn
NEW YORK, Dec 2 (Reuters) - The safe-haven dollar sank to a fresh 2-1/2-year low on Wednesday,
pressured once again by expectations of further fiscal stimulus for the United States.
A proposed bipartisan coronavirus pandemic-related economic stimulus package on Tuesday worth $908
billion as well as COVID-19 aid talks between U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and House of
Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi lifted the market's appetite for risk and pushed the dollar to its
lowest level since April 2018. That trend continued on Wednesday.
Mnuchin said President Donald Trump would sign a pandemic relief deal proposed by Senate Majority
Leader Mitch McConnell. For months, McConnell has been pushing for a $500 billion approach that Democrats rejected as
insufficient. The plan includes $332.7 billion in new loans or grants to small businesses, according to a
document provided to Reuters. The momentum for a weaker dollar should continue, said Vassili Serebriakov, an FX strategist at UBS in
New York. "Any bounces in the dollar are likely to find sellers."
In mid-morning trading, the dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of major
currencies, was flat to slightly lower to 91.160 =USD , after hitting 91.100, the lowest level since late
April 2018 hit overnight.
Data showing slower U.S. private hiring last month also supported some safe-haven buying of the
dollar.
Private payrolls increased by 307,000 jobs in November, the ADP National Employment Report showed on
Wednesday, lower than economists' forecasts of a 410,000 rise in new jobs. Data for October, though, was
revised up to show 404,000 jobs added instead of the initially reported 365,000. Britain's approval of a COVID-19 vaccine and the possibility that U.S. unemployment data will help
spur a pandemic relief package in Washington are likely to support investors' risk tolerance, driving them
away from the dollar, Serebriakov said.
Britain approved Pfizer's PFE.N COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday, jumping ahead of the rest of the
world in the race to begin the most crucial mass inoculation program in history. The euro, meanwhile, was up 0.2% at $1.2095 EUR=EBS , after earlier hitting $1.2108, the highest
since April 2018.
The European Central Bank meets next week, and analysts said the euro could be pressured as investors
worry the ECB will act to curb its rapid rise.
Against the yen, the dollar rose 0.2% to 104.47 JPY=EBS .
The Bank of Japan's deputy governor signaled that the central bank was ready to extend
pandemic-response programs, saying it would "take additional easing steps without hesitation as needed."
Bitcoin was up 0.6% at $18,850 BTC=BTSP , after hitting a record high of $19,918.01 on Tuesday.
The British pound fell after news headlines saying Britain's post-Brexit trade deal with the European
Union "still hangs in balance." GBP/
The pound last traded down 0.7% against the dollar at $1.3324 GBP=D3 .
The risk-sensitive Aussie dollar turned slightly higher to US$0.7375 AUD=D3 . It bounced in Asia as
data showed Australia's economy rebounded more than expected in the third quarter AUD=D3 . Currency bid prices at 10:37AM (1537 GMT)
Description RIC Last U.S. Close Pct Change YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid
Previous Change
Session
Dollar index =USD $91.1620 91.1880 -0.02% +0.00% +91.5040 +91.1000
Euro/Dollar EUR=EBS $1.2095 $1.2072 +0.19% +7.88% +1.2109 +1.2040
Dollar/Yen JPY=D3 104.4500 104.3200 +0.15% -3.81% +104.7450 +104.3350
Euro/Yen EURJPY= 126.32 125.91 +0.33% +3.58% +126.4700 +125.7800
Dollar/Swiss CHF=EBS 0.8955 0.8999 -0.51% -7.48% +0.9013 +0.8943
Sterling/Dollar GBP=D3 1.3330 1.3425 -0.70% +0.51% +1.3439 +1.3288
Dollar/Canadian CAD=D3 1.2936 1.2934 +0.02% -0.42% +1.2958 +1.2917
Aussie/Dollar AUD=D3 0.7381 0.7371 +0.12% +5.18% +0.7393 +0.7351
Euro/Swiss EURCHF= 1.0829 1.0858 -0.27% -0.21% +1.0871 +1.0814
Euro/Sterling EURGBP= 0.9071 0.8991 +0.89% +7.30% +0.9085 +0.8987
NZ NZD=D3 0.7049 0.7067 -0.25% +4.76% +0.7083 +0.7032
Dollar/Dollar
Dollar/Norway NOK=D3 8.8310 8.8265 +0.08% +0.70% +8.8940 +8.8000
Euro/Norway EURNOK= 10.6813 10.6250 +0.53% +8.57% +10.7280 +10.6181
Dollar/Sweden SEK= 8.4994 8.4787 +0.53% -9.07% +8.5480 +8.4727
Euro/Sweden EURSEK= 10.2800 10.2256 +0.53% -1.81% +10.2950 +10.2360