* Graphic: World FX rates in 2020 https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E
* Dollar supported as safe-harbour currency
* Investors nervous as U.S. election approaches
* Traders watching yuan to see if it falls further
* Euro and pound hit by virus and trade talk concerns
By Stanley White
TOKYO, Oct 14 (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar held onto gains
against most currencies on Wednesday as renewed questions about
a coronavirus vaccine and lack of an agreement on additional
U.S. fiscal stimulus prompted a shift to safer assets.
During the Asian session, the yuan will be in focus as
traders watch to see whether Chinese officials' efforts to slow
the currency's rise continue to have an impact.
The euro and British pound are likely to extend declines,
analysts said, as a return of restrictions on economic activity
in Europe and Britain to battle a second wave of coronavirus
infections unnerves investors. Moves are likely to be subdued as the U.S. presidential
election looms on Nov. 3, but analysts said sentiment is leaning
against riskier bets, which should support the dollar in the
coming days.
"Many factors are pointing to more upside for the dollar,"
said Masafumi Yamamoto, chief currency strategist at Mizuho
Securities.
"U.S. stimulus may not come until after the election. The
People's Bank of China is halting the yuan's rise. There's no
reason to buy the euro, and there are a lot of euro longs that
need to be unwound."
The dollar last stood at $1.1744 per euro EUR=D3 , holding
onto a 0.6% gain from the previous session.
The pound GBP=D3 traded at $1.2936, nursing a 1% loss from
Tuesday.
Sterling also took a hit due to worries about little
progress in trade talks between Britain and the European Union
and the chance the Bank of England will adopt negative interest
rates. Risk appetite has weakened after Johnson & Johnson JNJ.N
said on Tuesday it is pausing a clinical trial of a coronavirus
vaccine and Eli Lilly and Co LLY.N also said it paused a
coronavirus antibody treatment. Hopes are fading that U.S. Republicans and Democrats will
reach an compromise on a new round of fiscal stimulus, which
would deal a blow to the economic outlook.
Both developments are supporting the dollar, traders said.
The Australian dollar AUD=D3 was little changed in early
Asian trade but is likely to add to its 1% decline on Tuesday
due to concern about a row with Beijing over coal imports,
traders said.
Across the Tasman Sea, the New Zealand dollar NZD=D3 held
steady against its U.S. counterpart.
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Currency bid prices at 9:22AM (022 GMT)
Description RIC Last U.S. Close Pct Change YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid
Previous Change
Session
Euro/Dollar EUR=EBS $1.1744 $1.1745 +0.01% +4.77% +1.1746 +1.1739
Dollar/Yen JPY=D3 105.4600 105.4600 +0.00% -2.91% +105.5000 +0.0000
Euro/Yen EURJPY= 123.84 123.89 -0.04% +1.55% +123.9500 +123.8300
Dollar/Swiss CHF=EBS 0.9150 0.9149 +0.02% -5.44% +0.9154 +0.9150
Sterling/Dollar GBP=D3 1.2936 1.2937 +0.00% -2.46% +1.2937 +1.2929
Dollar/Canadian CAD=D3 1.3137 1.3136 +0.01% +1.12% +1.3145 +1.3137
Aussie/Dollar AUD=D3 0.7167 0.7161 +0.09% +2.15% +0.7169 +0.7158
NZ NZD=D3 0.6656 0.6648 +0.18% -1.03% +0.6659 +0.6648
Dollar/Dollar
All spots FX=
Tokyo spots AFX=
Europe spots EFX=
Volatilities FXVOL=
Tokyo Forex market info from BOJ TKYFX