* Graphic: World FX rates https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E
By Kevin Buckland
TOKYO, Feb 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar maintained its biggest loss in 10 days on Friday after disappointing U.S. labour market data bruised optimism for the country's speedy recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The greenback continued to buck its traditional role as a safe-harbour currency, falling in sympathy with U.S. stocks overnight after an unexpected increase in weekly jobless claims soured the economic outlook. British pound traded near an almost three-year high reached overnight, when it surged the most in more than a month, amid Britain's aggressive vaccination programme. dollar index =USD was little changed at 90.584 early in the Asian session, after a 0.4% decline overnight cut short a two-day winning streak. For the week, the gauge is now back to more or less break-even.
The string of soft labour data is weighing on the dollar even as other indicators have shown resilience, and as President Joe Biden's pandemic relief efforts take shape, including a proposed $1.9 trillion spending package.
"The prospect of a massive U.S. fiscal stimulus plus a successful vaccine roll-out are solid arguments to bet on a U.S. recovery this year," Rodrigo Catril, senior foreign exchange strategist at National Australia Bank in Sydney, wrote in a client note.
"But the overnight jobless claims data serve as a reminder of the unevenness of the recovery so far."
Sterling GBP= was mostly flat at $1.3965 on Friday following a 0.8% jump in the previous session, when it rose as high as $1.3986 for the first time since April 2018.
The euro EUR=EBS was little changed at $1.2089 after rising 0.4% overnight.
The dollar bought 105.695 yen JPY=EBS , little changed following a two-day retreat from the five-month high of 106.225 reached Wednesday.
In cryptocurrencies, bitcoin BTC=BTSP continued to hover around $51,500, consolidating after hitting a record $52,640 on Wednesday in a rally fuelled by endorsements from Tesla Inc TSLA.O and others. It has risen about 78% so far in 2021, after more than quadrupling last year.
Smaller rival ethereum ETH=BTSP rose to a record $1,951.89 on Friday, just pipping the previous day's high. It has surged some 162% this year.
On Thursday, chipmaker Nvidia Corp NVDA.O announced a new processor designed specifically for mining ethereum.
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Currency bid prices at 101 GMT Description
RIC
Last
U.S. Close Pct Change
YTD Pct
High Bid
Low Bid
Previous
Change
Session
Euro/Dollar
EUR=EBS
$1.2098
$1.2091
+0.05%
-0.99%
+1.2098
+1.2087 Dollar/Yen
JPY=D3
105.6500
105.6600
+0.07%
+2.36%
+105.7270 +105.7300 Euro/Yen
EURJPY=
127.82
127.79
+0.02%
+0.71%
+127.8500 +127.7500 Dollar/Swiss
0.8957
0.8960
+0.01%
+1.29%
+0.8964
+0.8958 Sterling/Dollar GBP=D3
1.3973
1.3972
+0.00%
+2.27%
+1.3973
+1.3965 Dollar/Canadian CAD=D3
1.2671
1.2678
-0.04%
-0.48%
+1.2681
+1.2673 Aussie/Dollar
AUD=D3
0.7774
0.7769
+0.08%
+1.07%
+0.7775
+0.7766 NZ
NZD=D3
0.7220
0.7220
+0.01%
+0.56%
+0.7224
+0.7213 Dollar/Dollar
All spots FX= Tokyo spots AFX= Europe spots EFX= Volatilities FXVOL= Tokyo Forex market info from BOJ TKYFX
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https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E
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