* Aussie dollar, Chinese yuan hits 2-1/2-year high vs dollar
* Graphic: World FX rates in 2020 https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E
(Adds new comment, FX table, updates prices, changes byline, dateline; previous LONDON)
By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss
NEW YORK, Dec 9 (Reuters) - The dollar fell against most currencies in choppy trading on Wednesday, as
progress in battling the coronavirus pandemic with positive vaccine news and prospects of more U.S. fiscal
stimulus lifted risk appetite and weakened the greenback.
Riskier currencies, including the Australian and New Zealand dollars AUD=D3 as well as the Chinese yuan
CNY=CFXS led gains against the dollar. Both the Aussie unit and Chinese currency hit 2-1/2-year peaks.
With U.S. coronavirus cases exceeding 15 million on Tuesday, regulators moved a step closer to approving a
COVID-19 vaccine, while Britain started inoculating people on Tuesday. Investors are also tracking negotiations over U.S. coronavirus aid, with the Trump administration proposing a
$916 billion package on Tuesday after congressional Democrats rejected a slimmer plan. "The narrative that the market is working off for now is that there would be a reflationary environment in the
United States with the additional stimulus," said Ranko Berich, head of market analysis at Monex Europe.
"So you have a Federal Reserve that's signalling very clearly that it has a very dovish reactive function and
would be very strongly accommodative. This environment overall is conducive to dollar weakness," he added.
In mid-morning trading, the dollar was little changed to slightly lower against a basket of currencies =USD
at 90.88. It reached an April 2018 low of 90.47 last Friday.
The dollar's losses have been most severe versus the euro in recent weeks as economic activity data suggested
Europe is outperforming the United States.
The euro was flat to slightly higher against the dollar at $1.2101 EUR=EBS . It was on track for an annual
gain of 8%, its largest since 2017.
German investor sentiment rose in December on expectations that vaccines against the coronavirus will boost
the economic outlook, a survey showed this week. YUAN
The dollar dropped to 6.5198 yuan in onshore trading CNY=CFXS , its lowest since June 2018, putting the yuan
up by more than 10% from its May lows, boosted by the softer dollar and steady inflows into Chinese stocks and
bonds. CNY/
Sterling was volatile GBP=D3 , up 0.6% against the dollar at $1.3417 before a Wednesday dinner between
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels that is
seen as a last-ditch attempt to salvage a Brexit trade deal. "Bottomline, a Brexit trade deal is the likeliest outcome, although a complete collapse in talks cannot be
ruled out," said Monex's Berich.
Rumblings in the money markets grew with swap markets indicating a growing demand for dollars heading into the
end of the year. Three-month euro cross-currency basis swap spreads EURCBS3M=ICAP widened to minus 27 basis
points, but were well below a March peak of nearly minus 90 basis points.
The Australian dollar rose to its highest since June 2018 against the greenback and was last up 0.9% at
US$0.7472.
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Currency bid prices at 10:08AM (1508 GMT)
Description RIC Last U.S. Close Pct Change YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid
Previous Change
Session
Dollar index =USD 90.8990 90.9160 +0.00% +0.00% +90.9340 +90.6880
Euro/Dollar EUR=EBS $1.2099 $1.2104 -0.04% +7.92% +1.2148 +1.2096
Dollar/Yen JPY=D3 104.2450 104.1600 +0.10% -4.01% +104.2550 +104.0600
Euro/Yen EURJPY= 126.11 126.07 +0.03% +3.41% +126.5100 +126.0200
Dollar/Swiss CHF=EBS 0.8892 0.8890 +0.03% -8.11% +0.8897 +0.8872
Sterling/Dollar GBP=D3 1.3413 1.3359 +0.42% +1.15% +1.3477 +1.3354
Dollar/Canadian CAD=D3 1.2772 1.2821 -0.37% -1.68% +1.2819 +1.2773
Aussie/Dollar AUD=D3 0.7466 0.7410 +0.76% +6.41% +0.7485 +0.7405
Euro/Swiss EURCHF= 1.0756 1.0760 -0.04% -0.88% +1.0782 +1.0754
Euro/Sterling EURGBP= 0.9016 0.9060 -0.49% +6.65% +0.9081 +0.8985
NZ Dollar/Dollar NZD=D3 0.7059 0.7044 +0.20% +4.89% +0.7094 +0.7036
Dollar/Norway NOK=D3 8.7700 8.7600 +0.05% -0.09% +8.7720 +8.6960
Euro/Norway EURNOK= 10.6110 10.6140 -0.03% +7.85% +10.6270 +10.5435
Dollar/Sweden SEK= 8.4699 8.4735 +0.00% -9.39% +8.4999 +8.4366
Euro/Sweden EURSEK= 10.2462 10.2461 +0.00% -2.13% +10.2890 +10.2425
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euro rises https://tmsnrt.rs/370Duku
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