(Adds German data, new comment, chart, updates prices,)
* German business morale jumps
* Dollar index flat
* Aussie, kiwi make three-year peaks
* Sterling gains as lockdown finish-line comes in to view
* Graphic: World FX rates https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E
By Julien Ponthus
LONDON, Feb 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar pared losses after reaching multi-year lows against sterling and the Australian dollar on Monday as traders focused on whether vaccine progress, expectations for faster economic growth and inflation would push bond yields higher.
Yields on 10-year U.S. US10YT=RR and German government bonds touched one-year and eight-month highs respectively before retreating as Europe's trading session advanced to midday.
The U.S. dollar index =USD rebounded from lows hit during the night but gradually slowed and was broadly unchanged, down 0.03% at 90.255.
"Monday mornings don't necessarily tell me much", said Kit Juckes a strategist at Societe Generale (PA:SOGN), adding that a clearer trend might emerge once trading resumes in New York.
"The market is still short in dollars", he said, pointing out to the likelihood of a "shake out" should U.S. yields continue their rise towards 1.5%.
The euro EUR=EBS gained against the dollar, rising 0.17% to $1.2138 after data showed German business morale rising more than expected in February thanks notably to the resilient industrial sector. were also waiting for a speech at 1345 GMT by European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde.
Commerzbank (DE:CBKG) analyst Ulrich Leuchtmann argued that much at stake for the relationship between the euro and the dollar lies in the growth differential between the two economies.
"Where EUR-USD is going to go medium-term depends on whether the U.S. economy really will be able to achieve a stronger post-lockdown boom than Europe", he said. He expects the common currency to suffer in that regard in the first half of 2021.
The British pound GBP=D3 held the $1.40 line after reaching 1.4050, its highest since April 2018, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a path out of lockdowns on the back of rapid vaccinations. Aussie AUD=D3 rose as much as 0.5% to an almost-three-year high of $0.7908 before letting the dollar come back to 0.7889.
The kiwi NZD=D3 hit $0.7338, also its best since early 2018, helped by S&P's upgrade of New Zealand's sovereign credit ratings by a notch, but also saw the U.S. dollar pare some losses. the cryptocurrency market, bitcoin BTC=BTSP eased from the record high of $58,354.14 it reached during the weekend, retreating to $53,441.
The most popular cryptocurrency had almost doubled year-to-date and reached a market capitalisation of $1 trillion on Friday, boosted by gaining acceptance among mainstream investors and companies like Tesla Mastercard (NYSE:MA). bid prices at 1228 GMT Description
RIC
Last
U.S. Close Pct Change
YTD Pct
High Bid
Low Bid
Previous
Change
Session
Euro/Dollar
EUR=EBS
$1.2134
$1.2118
+0.14%
-0.68%
+1.2145
+1.2092 Dollar/Yen
JPY=D3
105.5650
105.4900
+0.05%
+2.18%
+105.8400 +105.5050 Euro/Yen
EURJPY=
128.11
127.75
+0.28%
+0.94%
+128.2400 +127.7000 Dollar/Swiss
0.8975
0.8965
+0.12%
+1.45%
+0.9023
+0.8962 Sterling/Dollar GBP=D3
1.4026
1.4001
+0.22%
+2.71%
+1.4051
+1.3980 Dollar/Canadian CAD=D3
1.2626
1.2619
+0.06%
-0.84%
+1.2653
+1.2581 Aussie/Dollar
AUD=D3
0.7886
0.7868
+0.25%
+2.53%
+0.7908
+0.7855 NZ
NZD=D3
0.7317
0.7297
+0.29%
+1.91%
+0.7337
+0.7282 Dollar/Dollar
All spots FX= Tokyo spots AFX= Europe spots EFX= Volatilities FXVOL= Tokyo Forex market info from BOJ TKYFX
<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ World FX rates
https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E German IFO
https://tmsnrt.rs/3pMf0kN
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>