* Chinese plans for IP reform seen as positive step on trade
front
* Aussie, kiwi rise modestly as yen retreats
* Sterling buoyed by Brexit push in Conservative manifesto
* Graphic: World FX rates in 2019 http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
By Tom Westbrook
SINGAPORE, Nov 25 (Reuters) - The dollar and export-focused
currencies edged higher on Monday on broadly upbeat headlines
about U.S.-China trade talks, while the pound climbed on hopes
of an imminent Brexit and an end to years of political
paralysis.
Moves were marginal, however, as scepticism and weariness of
newsflow about both U.S.-China trade negotiations and Brexit
kept investors cautious.
Sterling GBP= rose 0.2% to $1.2854 in Asian trade, lifting
it from an almost two-week low hit on Friday following surveys
showing businesses in their deepest funk since 2016.
The greenback, also supported by positive economic data
released late last week, rose 0.1% on the safe-haven Japanese
yen JPY= to 108.78 yen. The euro EUR=R was steady at $1.1021
while the Australian and New Zealand dollars ticked higher.
Against a basket of currencies .DXY the dollar was steady
at 98.258.
"The markets are holding on to any sort of positivity we get
at the moment, we want to keep that momentum going," said Sean
MacLean, research strategist at Pepperstone, a brokerage in
Melbourne.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, whose Conservative
Party leads in opinion polls ahead of the Dec. 12 election,
supported the pound with a promise to "get Brexit done" and
bring a deal to leave the European Union back to parliament
before Christmas. Keeping hopes for a breakthrough in trade talks alive was
the weekend announcement of Chinese plans for improving
protection of intellectual property rights - seen as a move to
address a sticking point between the parties. Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Friday that he wants to
reach an agreement, while U.S. President Donald Trump said
progress was going well. U.S. national security adviser Robert
O'Brien said on Saturday a deal was possible by year's end.
Rising tensions over Hong Kong, however, have emerged as a
fresh complication in the trade talks, that have otherwise
appeared to make slow progress.
The city has been rocked by more than five months of
anti-government protests, and Beijing has already reacted
angrily to the passage U.S. legislation backing protesters,
which has cleared Congress but not yet been endorsed by Trump.
"The price of the 'Hong Kong bill' will be increased
underlying U.S.-China tensions," said Vishnu Varathan, head of
economics and strategy at Mizuho Bank in Singapore, adding that
means greater uncertainty around the trade deal.
Nevertheless, the optimistic sentiment was enough to lift
the trade-exposed Australian dollar AUD=D3 0.2% higher to
$0.6797 and the New Zealand dollar NZD=D3 to $0.6415.
China's yuan CNH= strengthened 0.1% to 7.0360 in offshore
trade.
Later in the trading day focus is expected to shift to
German service-sector data and a speech from the European
Central Bank's chief economist Philip Lane at 1800 GMT, ahead of
U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell appearance at 0000