* New coronavirus strain overshadows U.S. stimulus deal
* U.S. dollar rises to 10-day high
* Pound drops close to 2% as virus disrupts freight
* Euro, Aussie, NZ dollar fall as risk-off mode reigns
* Graphic: World FX rates in 2020 https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E
(Adds new comment, FX table, updates prices, changes byline, dateline)
By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss
NEW YORK, Dec 21 (Reuters) - The dollar rose to a more than one-week high on Monday in a
holiday-shortened week on fears about a fast-spreading new coronavirus strain that was discovered in the
UK, prompting investors to seek safety in the greenback.
Sterling GBP=D3 fell, as a consequence, to a 10-day low against the dollar and euro, in line with
the yield on two-year British government bonds falling to a record low. Prime Minister Boris Johnson
sought an emergency response to the crisis.
The pandemic stress in Europe overshadowed a weekend deal among U.S. congressional leaders for a $900
billion coronavirus aid package. European stock markets slid, while Wall Street shares sank after most of Europe cut off transport with
the UK, sowing chaos for families and companies just days before Britain completes it exit from the
European Union.
"The new strain of the coronavirus is really scaring everyone and we're seeing buying of the dollar
across the board. It's the dollar's best game since March," said Edward Moya, senior market strategist at
OANDA in New York.
In mid-morning trading, the dollar index gained 0.2% to 90.43, after it sank to two-and-a-half-year
lows last week, driven by optimism that vaccines would help revive global growth. Earlier in the session,
it rose to a two-week high of 91.022.
"I think we will still have a Biden administration that will exercise caution and maintain stricter
measures that could limit economic activity," said OANDA's Moya. "We were expecting things to start
getting to normal by the end of the first quarter; I think we will have to push everything back."
The euro fell 0.4% to $1.2205, after earlier dropping to a 10-day trough as well.
The pound slumped 1.6% versus the dollar to $1.3303 GBP=D3 , while the euro gained 1.1% against
sterling to 91.73 pence EURGBP=D3 .
Unlike the pound, which faces structural challenges when Britain leaves the EU either with a deal or
no deal, the euro's strength isn't expected to suffer structurally, said Holger Schmieding, chief
economist at Berenberg.
"It's a temporary setback in a longer trend," he said, referring to the euro's fall on Monday. He
expects the currency to eventually resume its rise towards $1.25.
The riskier Australian and New Zealand dollars weakened at the start of the week as investors rushed
for haven assets.
The Aussie dollar AUD=D3 dropped 1.35% to 75.35 U.S. cents, while the New Zealand dollar fell 1.4%
to 70.44 U.S. cents.
The U.S. dollar gained 0.3% against the yen to 103.57 yen JPY= , another safe haven.
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Currency bid prices at 9:58AM (1458 GMT)
Description RIC Last U.S. Close Pct Change YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid
Previous Change
Session
Dollar index =USD 90.4110 90.2810 +0.15% +0.00% +91.0220 +90.1870
Euro/Dollar EUR=EBS $1.2209 $1.2260 -0.41% +8.90% +$1.2243 +$1.2130
Dollar/Yen JPY=D3 103.5800 103.3200 +0.27% -4.62% +103.8850 +103.2950
Euro/Yen EURJPY= 126.45 126.61 -0.13% +3.69% +126.6300 +125.9200
Dollar/Swiss CHF=EBS 0.8879 0.8832 +0.54% -8.24% +0.8919 +0.8843
Sterling/Dollar GBP=D3 $1.3302 $1.3528 -1.66% +0.31% +$1.3468 +$1.3190
Dollar/Canadian CAD=D3 1.2864 1.2788 +0.60% -0.97% +1.2956 +1.2784
Aussie/Dollar AUD=D3 $0.7535 $0.7624 -1.15% +7.40% +$0.7605 +$0.7463
Euro/Swiss EURCHF= 1.0839 1.0821 +0.17% -0.12% +1.0841 +1.0799
Euro/Sterling EURGBP= 0.9174 0.9056 +1.30% +8.52% +0.9217 +0.9096
NZ NZD=D3 $0.7050 $0.7142 -1.27% +4.79% +$0.7122 +$0.7003
Dollar/Dollar
Dollar/Norway NOK=D3 8.6645 8.5940 +0.82% -1.23% +8.8650 +8.6310
Euro/Norway EURNOK= 10.5849 10.5150 +0.66% +7.49% +10.7585 +10.5256
Dollar/Sweden SEK= 8.2748 8.2512 -0.13% -11.47% +8.4336 +8.2664
Euro/Sweden EURSEK= 10.1060 10.1193 -0.13% -3.47% +10.2356 +10.0938