(Revises throughout, updates prices, new byline, changes dateline, previous
LONDON)
* Dollar index slips again
* Australian dollar makes three-year peak
* Sterling gains as lockdown finish line comes in to view
* Bitcoin tumbles as much as 16% in drop below $50,0000
* Graphic: World FX rates https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E
By David Henry and Julien Ponthus
NEW YORK/LONDON, Feb 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar resumed its slide
against major currencies and reached multi-year lows against the British pound
and the Australian dollar on Monday, as traders focused on whether coronavirus
vaccinations, economic growth expectations and higher inflation could push bond
yields higher.
The U.S. dollar index =USD was last down 0.07% in mid-morning trading in
New York, ticking up from earlier lows.
The dollar has been trending down since early February following a January
bounce from a 7% decline in 2020.
"The dollar continues to wax and wane with U.S. data that have painted a
mixed picture of the world's biggest economy," Joe Manimbo, senior market
analyst at Western Union Business Solutions, said in a note on Monday.
Weakness in U.S. employment keeps undermining dollar rallies as the markets
see wavering jobs data reinforcing the Federal Reserve's commitment to keep
interest rates low, Manimbo added.
The euro EUR=EBS rose 0.2% against the dollar to $1.2142 after data showed
German business morale rose more than expected in February thanks notably to the
country's resilient industrial sector. Exchange rates between the euro and dollar will depend "on whether the U.S.
economy really will be able to achieve a stronger post-lockdown boom than
Europe," Commerzbank analyst Ulrich Leuchtmann said.
The British pound GBP=D3 was last up 0.2% to $1.4032 after reaching
1.4050, its highest level since April 2018, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson
announced a path out of lockdowns on the back of rapid vaccinations.
The U.S. dollar fell to three-year lows against the Australian dollar, which
benefits from rising commodity prices. The Aussie AUD=D3 hit $0.7908, its
highest level since March 2018.
"Commodity currencies and the pound are particularly strong against the
dollar, and this trend looks set to continue," said Yukio Ishizuki, foreign
exchange strategist at Daiwa Securities.
Australia on Monday began its mass COVID-19 vaccine programme as the country
looked set to report no local cases for the third straight day, which gave the
Aussie a boost. Bitcoin BTC=BTSP plunged on Monday after surging to a new record high a
day earlier as a sell-off in global equities curbed risk appetite and traders
cited the unwinding of highly leveraged long positions in the cryptocurrency.
The cryptocurrency fell as much as 16%, at one point going as low as
$47,400.
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Currency bid prices at 1445 GMT
Description RIC Last U.S. Close Pct Change YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid
Previous Change
Session
Euro/Dollar EUR=EBS $1.2142 $1.2118 +0.21% -0.61% +1.2154 +1.2092
Dollar/Yen JPY=D3 105.2600 105.4900 -0.14% +1.99% +105.8400 +105.3400
Euro/Yen EURJPY= 127.81 127.75 +0.05% +0.70% +128.2400 +127.7000
Dollar/Swiss CHF=EBS 0.8958 0.8965 -0.07% +1.26% +0.9023 +0.8957
Sterling/Dollar GBP=D3 1.4032 1.4001 +0.24% +2.72% +1.4051 +1.3980
Dollar/Canadian CAD=D3 1.2633 1.2619 +0.13% -0.78% +1.2653 +1.2581
Aussie/Dollar AUD=D3 0.7894 0.7868 +0.33% +2.62% +0.7908 +0.7855
NZ NZD=D3 0.7326 0.7297 +0.41% +2.03% +0.7337 +0.7282
Dollar/Dollar
All spots FX=
Tokyo spots AFX=
Europe spots EFX=
Volatilities FXVOL=
Tokyo Forex market info from BOJ TKYFX
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World FX rates https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E
German IFO https://tmsnrt.rs/3pMf0kN
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