* Dollar beaten up after week of weak data, trade confusion
* U.S. non-farm payrolls eyed; due at 1330 GMT, +180k
expected
* Graphic: World FX rates in 2019 http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
By Tom Westbrook
SINGAPORE, Dec 6 (Reuters) - The dollar nursed a week of
losses on Friday, hit by nervousness on trade and mixed signals
about the U.S. economy, while the British pound stood tall as
bets firmed that Prime Minister Boris Johnson can win a
commanding electoral victory.
The safe havens of the Japanese yen and Swiss franc were in
demand as a hedge against Sino-U.S. trade talks collapsing, and
as investors fretted that U.S. jobs figures due later in the day
may fail to deliver an expected rebound.
"Markets are in a highly fragile condition at the moment,"
said Michael McCarthy, chief market strategist at CMC Markets in
Sydney.
"So there is a greater potential for an exaggerated move if
we see a big divergence from expectations on non-farm payrolls -
but the risk is in both directions, particularly with the lack
of trade news."
The euro EUR= held on to overnight gains against the
greenback to buy $1.1104, having climbed 0.8% this week. The yen
JPY= has added 0.9% on the dollar this week and was steady at
108.72 yen per dollar on Friday.
Against a basket of currencies .DXY the dollar has dropped
every day this week for a cumulative loss of almost 1%.
The best gains have been won by the soaring kiwi and British
pound. The kiwi NZD=D3 sat just below a four-month high
touched on Thursday at $0.6541, having gained 1.8% this week as
expectations for deep monetary easing have ebbed.
Sterling climbed to a 2-1/2 year high of 84.28 pence against
the euro EURGBP= overnight - holding near there on Friday -
and has advanced 1.7% against the dollar this week, last trading
at $1.3158 GBP=D3 .
Opinion polls suggest the ruling Conservatives will win an
outright majority in the Dec. 12 election, removing some of the
uncertainty around Britain's exit from the European Union that
has weighed on the currency for years. Cable has rallied 10%
since September lows.
"There's still a bit of nervousness about being too
convinced," said Jim Leaviss, head of fixed income at fund
manager M&G Investments. "But nevertheless cable seems to think
that we do get a clear majority for Boris Johnson," he said.
"That means that we leave the EU on the 31st of January...I
think the options market was pricing in another 7% upside on a
Conservative victory, and I think that's justified
fundamentally."
On the trade front, U.S. President Donald Trump remained
upbeat overnight and said talks are "moving right along".
Worries stem from a lack of similar enthusiasm from the
Chinese side, after Chinese officials reiterated their stance
that some U.S. tariffs must be rolled back for a deal.
The focus on U.S. non-farm payrolls, due at 1330 GMT, comes
after dismal data through the week that showed weak private
payrolls, soft services activity and a shrinking manufacturing
sector.
A Reuters poll shows a forecast of 180,000 jobs being added
in November. "Below 150,000 or above 210,000 we could see a
significant market reaction," said CMC Markets' McCarthy.