FOREX-Dollar loses ground amid doubts about U.S. stimulus

* Graphic: World FX rates in 2020 https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E
* Talks on U.S. stimulus not progressing
* U.S. dollar falls against most currencies
* Aussie gains on positive jobs data

By Stanley White
TOKYO, Aug 13 (Reuters) - The dollar fell against most of
its peers on Thursday amid fading hopes for a compromise between
Republicans and Democrats over additional stimulus for the U.S.
economy.
The Australian dollar rose after better-than-expected jobs
data eased concerns about a persistent coronavirus outbreak in
the country's second-largest city.
The greenback was hampered by a decline in Treasury yields,
but analysts say this is likely only a temporary setback because
U.S. lawmakers will eventually agree to more stimulus to help
the economy recover from the coronavirus.
"The dollar needs positive news on stimulus to rise further,
but I'm sure we'll get there, because these politicians can't go
back to their constituencies empty handed," said Masafumi
Yamamoto, chief currency strategist at Mizuho Securities in
Tokyo.
"Once this happens, gains in dollar/yen could be a catalyst
for dollar gains against other currencies."
Against the euro EUR=D3 , the dollar fell to $1.1804,
adding to a 0.4% decline on Wednesday.
The British pound GBP=D3 rose 0.15% to $1.3053.
The dollar edged lower against the safe harbour Swiss franc
CHF=D3 to 0.9118.
The dollar pulled back from a three-week high to trade at
106.78 yen JPY=D3 .
The onshore yuan CNY=CFXS briefly rose to a five-month
high before steadying at 6.9421 per dollar as nerves set it
before U.S. and Chinese officials meet Saturday to review their
Phase I trade deal.
President Donald Trump accused congressional Democrats on
Wednesday of not wanting to negotiate over a U.S. coronavirus
aid package as top Republican and Democratic negotiators traded
blame for a five-day lapse in talks over relief legislation.
The pandemic has taken a particularly heavy toll on the
United States, where it has killed more people than any other
country. Millions of U.S. workers have lost jobs, and
supplemental federal unemployment benefits expired last month.
Market sentiment has swung between optimism and pessimism,
but analysts argue that more stimulus is the most likely outcome
because without it the U.S. economic recovery could stall.
The U.S. dollar index against a basket of major currencies
USD= was little changed on Thursday but was still well above
the two-year low it reached last week.
Elsewhere in currencies, the Australian dollar AUD=D3
traded at $0.7161, supported by data showing the economy created
three times as many jobs as expected in July. The positive jobs data suggests the economy remains
resilient in the face of an ongoing outbreak of coronavirus
cases in Melbourne.
Across the Tasman Sea, the New Zealand dollar NZD=D3 fell
slightly to $0.6566.
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand will consider more monetary
stimulus if there are periods of resurgence in local coronavirus
infections and renewed lockdowns in the country, Deputy Governor
Geoff Bascand told Reuters on Thursday. New Zealand this week locked down its biggest city,
Auckland, and reimposed social distancing rules across the rest
of the country as new coronavirus cases were reported, ending a
102-day run of no infections.