* Euro up vs dollar as risk appetite returns
* Sterling rises to 3-month high vs dollar
* Safe-haven yen drops to 2-1/2-month low vs dollar
* EU, Britain to hold intense negotiations on Brexit deal
* China drums up hope for a partial trade deal
* Graphic: World FX rates in 2019 http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
(Recasts, updates prices, adds FX table, new comment, changes byline, dateline; previous LONDON)
By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss
NEW YORK, Oct 11 (Reuters) - The dollar fell to a three-week low on Friday as safe-haven buying eased
and risk sentiment improved on hopes of progress in trade negotiations between the United States and
China, as well as increased chances of an orderly British exit from the European Union.
Sterling rose to a more than three-month high versus the dollar on optimism about Brexit, while the
euro advanced to a three-weak peak as risk appetite rose.
At the same time, other safe-haven currencies such as the yen and Swiss franc slid on the day.
"We have heard positive rhetoric emanating from the trade talks with China," said Bipan Rai, North
American head of FX strategy at CIBC Capital Markets in Toronto.
"We have also gotten positive undertones from Brexit negotiations. You have seen some of the short
sterling positions close up because the odds of a deal have increased and if that's the case investors may
be a little more comfortable taking dollar risk off the table," he added.
Top U.S. and Chinese negotiators wrapped up their first day of trade talks on Thursday, with U.S.
President Donald Trump welcoming what he called a "very, very good negotiation with China".
Trump and China's top trade negotiator, Vice Premier Liu He, are scheduled to meet later on Friday.
A Chinese newspaper said on Friday a "partial" trade deal would benefit China and the United States,
reflecting Beijing's aim of cooling the row before more U.S. tariffs kick in. On Brexit, the 27 countries staying in the EU after Britain leaves gave the go-ahead on Friday for
their chief negotiator to hold another round of intense and secret negotiations with London in a bid to
secure a deal, two senior diplomatic sources said. Michel Barnier and his British counterpart Stephen Barclay had earlier held what both sides called a
"constructive" meeting in Brussels as Britain's scheduled departure date of Oct. 31 grew closer. Their
meeting followed a burst of optimism after the British and Irish prime ministers said on Thursday they had
found "a pathway" to a possible deal.
Erik Bregar, head of FX strategy at Exchange Bank of Canada in Toronto, said sterling risk reversals,
an indicator of currency sentiment in the options market, are exploding higher into positive territory,
with calls now trading at a big premium to puts. The move, he said, suggested that option traders are
betting sterling has turned the corner against the dollar.
In mid-morning trading, the dollar index was down 0.4% at 98.307 .DXY , after earlier declining to a
3-1/2-month low of 98.197.
The euro, meanwhile, rose 0.4% to $1.1052 EUR= , mirroring the three-week high reached on Thursday.
The safe-haven yen JPY= weakened against the dollar, which gained 0.5% to 108.53 yen. The dollar
earlier touched a 2-1/2-month high against the yen.
Sterling surged to a more than three-month high of $1.2708 GBP=D3 and a five-month peak of 87.02
pence against the euro EURGBP=D3 . The pound was last up 1.7% at $1.2658.
========================================================
Currency bid prices at 10:32AM (1432 GMT)
Description RIC Last U.S. Close Pct Change YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid
Previous Change
Session
Euro/Dollar EUR= $1.1043 $1.1004 +0.35% -3.71% +1.1062 +1.1002
Dollar/Yen JPY= 108.5100 107.9600 +0.51% -1.59% +108.5600 +107.8600
Euro/Yen EURJPY= 119.86 118.80 +0.89% -5.04% +119.9900 +118.7400
Dollar/Swiss CHF= 0.9981 0.9969 +0.12% +1.70% +0.9990 +0.9959
Sterling/Dollar GBP= 1.2654 1.2440 +1.72% -0.81% +1.2705 +1.2409
Dollar/Canadian CAD= 1.3206 1.3290 -0.63% -3.16% +1.3300 +1.3186
Australian/Doll AUD= 0.6794 0.6761 +0.49% -3.62% +0.6805 +0.6754
Euro/Swiss EURCHF= 1.1025 1.0970 +0.50% -2.03% +1.1039 +1.0966
Euro/Sterling EURGBP= 0.8725 0.8845 -1.36% -2.88% +0.8868 +0.8703
NZ NZD= 0.6334 0.6318 +0.25% -5.70% +0.6348 +0.6317
Dollar/Dollar
Dollar/Norway NOK= 9.0777 9.1238 -0.51% +5.08% +9.1290 +9.0705
Euro/Norway EURNOK= 10.0254 10.0430 -0.18% +1.21% +10.0510 +10.0207
Dollar/Sweden SEK= 9.8108 9.8403 +0.05% +9.45% +9.8465 +9.7932
Euro/Sweden EURSEK= 10.8355 10.8301 +0.05% +5.57% +10.8546 +10.8090