* Yen soars to three-year high
* Euro jumps as U.S. yields crater
* Oil-exposed currencies plunge
* Graphic: World FX rates in 2020 https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E
By Tom Westbrook
SINGAPORE, March 9 (Reuters) - The safe-haven yen soared,
the euro jumped after U.S. treasury yields dropped and export
sensitive currencies fell to multi-year lows on Monday as
coronavirus fears routed global markets.
The yen JPY= jumped more than 3% to a day high of 101.69
per dollar, its highest in three years and the sharpest daily
jump since mid-2016.
The euro EUR= rose more than 1.4% to an almost two-year
peak of $1.1452. The Australian AUD=D3 and New Zealand
NZD=D3 dollars both lost more than 2%, with the Aussie hitting
a fresh 11-year low.
Against the yen, the Aussie AUDJPY= and Kiwi NZDJPY=
lost more than 5%.
"It is totally wild," said Shafali Sachdev, head of FX Asia
at BNP Paribas Wealth Management in Singapore. "Stops are being
triggered at every level," she said.
"This is not a train I want to be getting in front of, and
how long it continues and where it goes from here is going to
depend on how the situation evolves," she added, saying further
stockmarket falls could drive even bigger moves in funding
currencies.
The number of people infected with the coronavirus has
topped 107,000 across the world as the outbreak reached more
countries and caused more economic disruption. Market panic was exacerbated by a collapse in oil prices,
which dropped more than 20% after the world's top exporter,
Saudi Arabia, vowed to cut prices and raise its production
significantly. O/R
The yield on 10-year U.S. Treasuries US10YT=RR went under
0.5% for the first time, amid a rush for the safety of bonds.
That undermines the dollar by all but sinking one of the
most popular carry trades globally - borrowing at negative rates
in euro or yen to buy U.S. assets.
The yen's jump drew concern in Japan, with a senior finance
official telling reporters that authorities were closely
watching trade.
Meanwhile, the oil price fall made for withering drops in
oil exporters' currencies.
The Mexican peso MXN= fell as far as 6% against the
dollar. The Canadian dollar CAD=D3 fell more than 2% to 1.3690
per dollar, its lowest since 2017.
The Norwegian krone NOK=D3 shed 3% to hit a record trough
and the Russian rouble RUB= plunged by 5% to its lowest in
nearly four years.