FOREX-Euro holds near three-year highs as rising yields fail to lift dollar

By Kitco News / February 02, 2018 / www.kitco.com / Article Link

* U.S. Treasury yield spike fails to boost dollar

* Euro holds above $1.25 mark; gains on week

* Traders prepare for non-farm payroll data

* Chinese yuan hits fresh 2 1/2 year high

* Graphic: World FX rates in 2018 By Tommy Wilkes

LONDON, Feb 2 (Reuters) - The euro held above $1.25 on Friday, continuing a strong week in which rising U.S. treasury yields failed to lift the dollar while the euro zone's economic revival and expectations of monetary tightening made the single currency more attractive.

Yields on 10-year U.S. Treasuries have risen to near their four-year high as economic growth and buoyant oil prices drive up inflation expectations and central banks start sounding more hawkish.

But the rise in yields, which should push up the dollar, hasn't helped it so far.

"You'd think that with rates up, the dollar would be up, but investors are focusing their interest elsewhere," such as further evidence that the European economy is picking up, said Jeff Kravetz, regional investment strategist at U.S. Bank Wealth Management.

A survey released on Thursday showed eurozone manufacturing continued to boom last month, bolstering expectations that the European Central Bank is on track to normalise monetary policy .

The euro traded flat against the dollar on the day at $1.2505 , within sight of last week's three-year high of $1.2538. For the week, the euro has gained around 0.6 percent.

Against a basket of currencies, the dollar was broadly flat as the market awaits non-farm payroll data due later on Friday.

Many strategists say the dollar's sensitivity to domestic news looks weak - ING analysts called it "limited and short-lived" - as investors focus on monetary policy re-pricing opportunities elsewhere.

"Today's US labour market report poses only temporary downside risk to the cross," ING said in a note.

Elsewhere, the dollar added to recent gains against the Japanese yen, helping it move away from a four-month nadir of 108.28 hit a week ago. The dollar rose 0.4 percent on the day to 109.82 On Friday, the Bank of Japan offered to buy an unlimited amount of JGBs with more than five to 10 years left to maturity at 2 basis points above the previous close. It also increased the amount of its planned buying in five- to 10-year JGBs to 450 billion yen from the previous 410 billion, an amount it had kept since late August .

Foreign exchange markets showed little reaction to the Japanese central bank's move.

The Chinese yuan continued its recent rise against the dollar, notching up a high of 6.2773, a 2 1/2-year high. The yuan is up 0.8 percent for the week and was last trading at these levels in August 2015.

For Reuters Live Markets blog on European and UK stock markets see reuters://realtime/verb=Open/url= (Additional reporting by Lisa Twaronite in Tokyo, editing by Larry King)

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.

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