* Dollar index near two-week low after retreat from
two-month high
* Bitcoin dips below $46,000 a day after hitting record
$49,714.66
* Graphic: World FX rates https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E
By Kevin Buckland
TOKYO, Feb 15 (Reuters) - The dollar started the week pinned
near two-week lows on Monday as traders questioned whether the
recovery from the pandemic in the United States would be as fast
as expected.
Bitcoin BTC=BTSP remained volatile, retreating to as low
as $45,914.75 a day after reaching a record $49,714.66.
The world's most popular cryptocurrency had rallied 25% last
week, driven by endorsements from Tesla TSLA.O and BNY Mellon
BK.N . The dollar index =USD slipped 0.1% to 90.336, close to
last week's low of 90.249 - a level unseen since Jan. 27.
The gauge hit a two-month top of 91.6 on Feb. 5 on hopes
that a U.S. rebound would outpace other major economies, but has
since pulled back amid disappointing employment data.
"Now the market is looking for actual evidence that the U.S.
economy is outperforming," said Shinichiro Kadota, senior
currency strategist at Barclays Capital in Tokyo.
"The economic data needs to improve."
The euro EUR=EBS edged 0.1% higher to $1.21315, extending
last week's 0.6% advance.
The dollar rose 0.1% to 105.04 yen JPY=EBS , recovering
some of the previous week's 0.4% loss.
Many financial markets in Asia remained closed on Monday for
Lunar New Year, with the United States also out for Presidents
Day.
Riskier currencies gained against the greenback, with the
Australian dollar adding 0.3% to 77.795 U.S. cents after earlier
touching a one-month high of 77.85.
The British pound appreciated 0.3% to $1.3895 after renewing
an almost-three-year high at $1.3901.
The Chinese yuan reached its strongest level since June 2018
at 6.4012 per dollar in the offshore market CNH=EBS .
In cryptocurrencies, bitcoin last traded 3.7% lower at
$46,852.
Rival virtual coin ethereum ETH=BTSP , which often trades
in tandem with bitcoin, slumped 4.3% to $1,725. It reached a
record high of $1,874.98 on Saturday.
========================================================
Currency bid prices at 2:14PM (514 GMT)
Description RIC Last U.S. Close Pct Change YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid
Previous Change
Session
Euro/Dollar EUR=EBS $1.2134 $1.2119 +0.13% -0.68% +1.2138 +1.2117
Dollar/Yen JPY=D3 105.0220 104.9250 +0.11% +1.70% +105.1300 +105.0400
Euro/Yen EURJPY= 127.44 127.14 +0.24% +0.41% +127.5200 +127.1800
Dollar/Swiss CHF=EBS 0.8909 0.8919 -0.11% +0.70% +0.8925 +0.8908
Sterling/Dollar GBP=D3 1.3896 1.3852 +0.32% +1.71% +1.3900 +1.3863
Dollar/Canadian CAD=D3 1.2665 1.2689 -0.18% -0.53% +1.2689 +1.2666
Aussie/Dollar AUD=D3 0.7783 0.7760 +0.32% +1.20% +0.7784 +0.7760
NZ NZD=D3 0.7242 0.7215 +0.40% +0.88% +0.7243 +0.7207
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
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