* Graphic: World FX rates https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E
* U.S. nonfarm payrolls surge more than 900,000 in March
* Economic optimism, rising yields support dollar
* Dollar index rises in five of last six weeks
(Adds new comment, U.S. data, updates prices, changes byline, dateline; previous TOKYO)
By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss
NEW YORK, April 2 (Reuters) - The dollar rose on Friday in thin trading, on pace for its third weekly
gain, after data showed the world's largest economy created more jobs than expected in March, suggesting it
is on a steady path to recovery from the pandemic.
Financial markets are closed in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Britain, Europe and the United States
in observance of the Good Friday holiday.
Friday's data showed U.S. nonfarm payrolls surged 916,000 jobs last month, the largest gain since last
August. Data for February was revised higher to show 468,000 jobs created instead of the previously reported
379,000. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast payrolls increasing by 647,000 jobs in March.
"The important thing is that the employment trend is pointing in the right direction," said JJ Kinahan,
chief market strategist at TD Ameritrade in Chicago.
"We're not where we were pre-March last year. We're still down 5.5% from our peak, but we continue to
make great progress," he added.
Sentiment for the dollar has improved in recent weeks, while Treasury yields have spiked, as the Biden
administration's planned stimulus of over $2 trillion and a rapid COVID-19 vaccine rollout spurred economic
optimism as well as inflation fears.
U.S. benchmark 10-year Treasury yields were last at 1.705% US10YT=RR , up nearly 3 basis points from
the previous session. US/
In mid-morning trading, the dollar index was up 0.1% at 92.959 =USD , posting gains in five of the last
six weeks. It is headed for its third straight weekly rise.
The dollar's ascent to multi-month highs is likely to continue as more investors bet on economic
recovery.
The dollar was up slightly versus the yen at 110.68 yen JPY=EBS , not far from its strongest level in a
year at just under 111 yen.
Against the euro EUR=D3 , the dollar was quoted at $1.1777, near a five-month high.
The greenback was little changed against the Swiss currency at US$0.94170 Swiss franc CHF=EBS , after
losing 0.2% on Thursday.
Elsewhere, the Australian dollar AUD=D3 slipped 0.2% to US$0.7612.
Across the Tasman Sea, the New Zealand dollar NZD=D3 was flat at US$0.7025.
In the cryptocurrency market, bitcoin BTC=BTSP briefly rose above $60,000 for the first time in two
weeks but then pared gains to trade up 0.7% at $59,130.
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Currency bid prices at 9:57AM (1357 GMT)
Description RIC Last U.S. Close Pct Change YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid
Previous Change
Session
Dollar index =USD 92.9440 92.8980 +0.07% 3.293% +93.0750 +92.8300
Euro/Dollar EUR=EBS $1.1768 $1.1778 -0.10% -3.70% +$1.1787 +$1.1749
Dollar/Yen JPY=EBS 110.6850 110.6050 +0.09% +7.15% +110.7450 +110.3700
Euro/Yen EURJPY= 130.26 130.23 +0.02% +2.63% +130.3100 +130.0400
Dollar/Swiss CHF=EBS 0.9414 0.9416 +0.01% +6.44% +0.9434 +0.9407
Sterling/Dollar GBP=D3 $1.3827 $1.3834 -0.04% +1.22% +$1.3852 +$1.3815
Dollar/Canadian CAD=D3 1.2557 1.2553 +0.05% -1.37% +1.2573 +1.2530
Aussie/Dollar AUD=D3 $0.7610 $0.7617 -0.07% -1.05% +$0.7637 +$0.7600
Euro/Swiss EURCHF= 1.1080 1.1090 -0.09% +2.53% +1.1097 +1.1074
Euro/Sterling EURGBP= 0.8510 0.8511 -0.01% -4.78% +0.8520 +0.8504
NZ NZD=D3 $0.7023 $0.7025 +0.03% -2.14% +$0.7047 +$0.7017
Dollar/Dollar
Dollar/Norway NOK=D3 8.5305 8.5265 -0.04% -0.74% +8.5415 +8.5235
Euro/Norway EURNOK= 10.0398 10.0360 +0.04% -4.08% +10.0530 +10.0296
Dollar/Sweden SEK= 8.7219 8.7115 +0.04% +6.41% +8.7375 +8.7048
Euro/Sweden EURSEK= 10.2640 10.2598 +0.04% +1.86% +10.2685 +10.2572
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