* Graphic: World FX rates in 2019 http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
* Dollar recovers composure after positive economic data
* Sentiment still fragile after yield curve inversion
* Hong Kong may test U.S.-China relations
(Adds details on Hong Kong protests)
By Stanley White
TOKYO, Aug 16 (Reuters) - The dollar held onto gains on
Friday after a surge in U.S. retail sales eased concerns about
the world's top economy, but traders cautioned against reading
too much into one piece of data given the growing risks to the
outlook.
The greenback was on course for a weekly gain against
safe-haven currencies such as the Japanese yen and the Swiss
franc, pointing to some respite for frayed nerves after fears of
recession and protests in Hong Kong rattled financial markets.
During Asian trading the dollar briefly extended gains and
the yen fell as Japanese stocks erased early losses to trade
higher and as U.S. Treasury yields rose slightly. The move
quickly faded, however, partly reflecting thin treading due to
the summer holiday season.
Against a basket of six major currencies, the dollar index
.DXY edged higher to 98.218. Since hitting a three-week low on
Aug. 9, the dollar index has recovered, rising around 1%.
Data showing American consumers continued to splurge in July
came as a relief to investors after the U.S. bond market sounded
alarms of a recession. Yet, the fragile calm in markets is unlikely to last,
traders said.
This week's inversion in the U.S. Treasury yield curve,
which has historically preceded several past U.S. recessions,
has stoked fresh worries about the economic impact of the
Sino-U.S. trade war.
China on Thursday vowed to counter the latest U.S. tariffs
on $300 billion of Chinese goods, but U.S. President Donald
Trump said any pact would have to be on America's terms,
suggesting a resolution to the trade war remains elusive.
Trump, who is seeking re-election in 2020 and had made the
economy and his tough stance on China a key part of his 2016
campaign for the White House, said any agreement must meet U.S.
demands.
More protests are also expected in Hong Kong over the
weekend, which could become a new geopolitical flashpoint and
further complicate the U.S.-China trade war.
Ten weeks of clashes between police and pro-democracy
protesters, angered by a perceived erosion of freedoms, have
plunged the Asian financial hub into its worst crisis since it
came under Chinese rule from Britain in 1997.
"The most important point is there are more signs of a
global economic slowdown," said Tsutomu Soma, general manager of
fixed income business solutions at SBI Securities in Tokyo.
"Rates will continue to fall, and investors will pull back
from risk, which means money will leave emerging markets and go
to Treasuries, the Swiss franc, gold, and the yen."
The dollar was little changed at 106.18 yen JPY=EBS in
Asian trading after rising 0.2% on Thursday.
For the week, the greenback was up 0.5% against the Japanese
currency, its biggest gain since the week ended July 26.
The dollar rose 0.3% to 0.9787 Swiss franc, CHF=EBS , on
course for a 0.6% weekly gain.
A day after inverting, the U.S. yield curve steepened a
little. Curve inversion, which occurs when long-term yields dip
below short-term yields. US2US10=TWEB
Sterling GBP=D3 was marginally higher, on course for its
first weekly gain since mid-July, as positive data on retail
sales and consumer pries showed the British economy is in better
shape than some investors had feared.
The pound traded at $1.2088, close to a one-week high of
$1.2150.
However, sterling bears are still on the ascendancy given
the risk that Prime Minister Boris Johnson will take Britain out
of the European Union without transitional trade agreements,
potentially causing short-term economic turmoil.