FOREX-Dollar stabilises as Europe's new lockdowns keep risk appetite subdued; ECB in focus

* Graphic: World FX rates in 2020 https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E

By Elizabeth Howcroft
LONDON, Oct 29 (Reuters) - The dollar edged up slightly on
Thursday and riskier currencies remained subdued, with markets
worried about Europe's second wave of coronavirus infections and
cautious ahead of the European Central Bank's meeting.
Rapidly rising COVID-19 infection rates in Europe, along
with caution ahead of the U.S. elections, triggered the worst
market sell-off since June earlier this week. France and Germany ordered their countries back into
lockdown, after Europe's death rate jumped 37% last week.
"The safe haven currencies of the US dollar, yen and Swiss
franc have been boosted by building fears over the darkening
outlook for global growth," MUFG currency analyst Lee Hardman
said in a note to clients.
"The main trigger for the sell-off in risk assets has been
the decisions taken by the French and German governments to
significantly tighten restrictions on activity in an attempt to
dampen the spread of COVID-19," he said.
Implied volatility gauges with a one-week maturity for
currency pairs such as euro-dollar and dollar-yen, rose to their
highest in more than six months on Wednesday, and remained
elevated on Thursday. Global equity markets had a mixed start on Thursday, with
futures pointing to a recovery on Wall Street. The dollar, which hit a nine-day high in the previous
session, held steady overnight and strengthened further in early
London trading.
The dollar index measured against a basket of currencies was
up 0.1% on the day at 0818 GMT =USD .
The ECB is expected to hold off with new stimulus measures
this week, but is likely to signal more action in December.
Its policy announcement is due at 1245 GMT, followed by a
news conference at 1330 GMT. At 0823 GMT, the euro was down 0.1% against the dollar at
$1.173 EUR=EBS .
"Compared to the September meeting, the focus will not be so
much on the ECB comments on the exchange rate," wrote ING's
chief EMEA FX and IR strategist, Petr Krpata.
"Instead all eyes will be on hints at further easing, likely
via the additional bond purchases," he said.
Krpata said the euro has been resilient despite the
euro-specific negative news such as the second wave in Europe,
downgrades to euro zone growth outlook and market expectations
of further easing in December.
Commerzbank currency and emerging markets strategist Thu Lan
Nguyen said the market will be looking for signals that
December's package of measures will include a rate cut.
"At some point the ECB has to deliver on the rate cut front
for the euro to remain capped on a sustainable basis. That is
the bit we are really skeptical about and therefore we remain
medium to long term bullish on EUR-USD," she said.
Against the yen, the euro held near a three-month low, down
0.2% on the day at 122.29 yen at 0836 GMT EURJPY=EBS .
The yen was broadly steady against the dollar at 104.250
JPY=EBS after the Bank of Japan trimmed its economic growth
and inflation forecasts, but, as expected, made no changes to
its monetary policy. The riskier Australian and New Zealand dollars recovered
some of Wednesday's losses during the Asian session, but fell
again in early London trading AUD=D3 NZD=D3 .
China's offshore yuan was up 0.3% on the day at 6.7111 to
the dollar at 0838 GMT CNH=EBS .
China's major state-owned banks have been swapping U.S.
dollars for yuan this week, traders said on Thursday, suggesting
monetary authorities were trying to rein in the currency.
The onshore yuan has appreciated 7% against the dollar since
the depths it hit in May CNH=CFXS .