* Japanese yen falls to two week low
* Dollar index up, investors focus on U.S. non-farm payrolls
* Chinese yuan rises to five-month high vs dollar
* Graphic: World FX rates in 2019 http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
(Adds new comment, updates prices)
By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss
NEW YORK, Jan 9 (Reuters) - The safe-haven yen fell to two-week lows against the dollar on Thursday as
the United States and Iran moved away from an all-out conflict, prompting investors to take on more risky
assets and focus more on an upcoming U.S.-China trade deal.
U.S. President Donald Trump responded to an Iranian attack on U.S. forces with sanctions, not
violence. Iran offered no immediate signal it would retaliate further against a Jan. 3 U.S. drone strike
that killed its senior military commander. The yen, seen as a safe haven in times of geopolitical turmoil because of its deep liquidity and
Japan's current account surplus, reversed the gains it made against the dollar after Iran's missile
strike. The dollar was last up 0.3% at 109.48 yen JPY= , after earlier hitting 109.57 yen, its highest
since Dec. 27.
"Markets are taking comfort from a cooling in U.S.-Iran tensions after conciliatory words from
President Trump," said Joe Manimbo, senior market analyst at Western Union Business Solutions in
Washington. "The Mideast crisis going from a boil to a simmer allowed bullish U.S. fundamentals to return
to the surface."
Gold prices also slid, retreating further from a near-seven-year peak scaled in the previous session.
Implied volatility gauges for euro/dollar are falling back toward late 2019 lows, which is "very
telling," according to Reuters analysts.
Three-month implied volatility in euro/dollar fell to 4.27% at the end of November, its lowest level
on record.
Focus is expected to shift back to the global economy, with expectations the United States and China
will sign a trade deal next week providing underlying support for risk assets.
China's Vice Premier Liu He, head of the country's negotiation team in the Sino-U.S. trade talks will
visit Washington on Jan. 13-15, Gao Feng, spokesman at the commerce ministry said. Investors think the deal will clear one of the world economy's biggest uncertainties and help boost
global growth this year, although some think that view is too optimistic.
Market participants are also looking ahead to Friday's U.S. non-farm payrolls report, with forecasts
of 164,000 new jobs in December, from 266,000 the previous month.
In other currencies, China's yuan rose to a five-month high of 6.9175 against the dollar overnight in
the offshore market CNH=EBS , boosted by a steady inflation readout.
In midday trading, the dollar index was 0.2% higher on the day at 97.458 .DXY .
The Swiss franc though remained slightly elevated against the dollar, which slipped 0.2% to 0.9721
CHF= .
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Currency bid prices at 12:14PM (1714 GMT)
Description RIC Last U.S. Close Pct Change YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid
Previous Change
Session
Euro/Dollar EUR= $1.1106 $1.1103 +0.03% -0.93% +1.1120 +1.1094
Dollar/Yen JPY= 109.4500 109.1200 +0.30% +0.54% +109.5700 +109.0200
Euro/Yen EURJPY= 121.58 121.17 +0.34% -0.30% +121.6900 +121.1400
Dollar/Swiss CHF= 0.9719 0.9737 -0.18% +0.42% +0.9747 +0.9712
Sterling/Dollar GBP= 1.3062 1.3097 -0.27% -1.49% +1.3124 +1.3014
Dollar/Canadian CAD= 1.3090 1.3037 +0.41% +0.80% +1.3104 +1.3026
Australian/Doll AUD= 0.6853 0.6865 -0.17% -2.39% +0.6880 +0.6851
ar
Euro/Swiss EURCHF= 1.0798 1.0813 -0.14% -0.50% +1.0833 +1.0796
Euro/Sterling EURGBP= 0.8501 0.8478 +0.27% +0.56% +0.8533 +0.8472
NZ NZD= 0.6608 0.6646 -0.57% -1.90% +0.6658 +0.6601
Dollar/Dollar
Dollar/Norway NOK= 8.8766 8.8683 +0.09% +1.11% +8.9024 +8.8550
Euro/Norway EURNOK= 9.8601 9.8523 +0.08% +0.23% +9.8854 +9.8397
Dollar/Sweden SEK= 9.4873 9.4593 +0.32% +1.50% +9.5007 +9.4444
Euro/Sweden EURSEK= 10.5395 10.5060 +0.32% +0.67% +10.5471 +10.4969