* Euro climbs on vaccine optimism
* Dollar weakens to more than 1-week low
* U.S. CPI rises less than expected, little FX impact
* Graphic: World FX rates in 2020 https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E (Recasts, adds new comment, U.S. data, FX table, updates prices, changes byline, dateline; previous LONDON)
By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss
NEW YORK, Nov 17 (Reuters) - The dollar fell to a one-week low on Tuesday, still weighed down by optimism over a coronavirus vaccine, as the outlook for the currency remained downbeat with the Federal Reserve and U.S. Congress poised to do more to ease COVID-19's economic damage.
The euro, sterling, Swiss franc and yen rose against the dollar, while the Chinese yuan hit its highest against the U.S. currency since June 2018.
Drugmaker Moderna MRNA.O became the second U.S. pharmaceutical company in a week to report positive results from trials of a COVID-19 vaccine, considered necessary to eradicate the pandemic.
Policymakers' response to a record number of coronavirus cases, hospitalisations and deaths in several U.S. states is likely to remain of greater concern. still seeing a follow-through from that vaccine optimism with yesterday's news on Moderna," said Edward Moya, senior market analyst at OANDA in New York.
"But the key story is still about COVID-19 and the short-term pressures it's going to put not just on the U.S, but abroad and it's going to force Congress or the Federal Reserve to do more. Whether we get a stimulus after (President-elect) Joe Biden takes office or whether the Fed does more, the trajectory for the dollar is pretty clear: it's going to be much lower."
In mid-morning trading, the dollar index =USD fell to a one-week low against a basket of major currencies, and last stood at 92.357, down 0.2%.
Data showing U.S. retail sales rising less than expected in October had minimal dollar impact. Retail sales rose 0.3% last month, the Commerce Department said on Tuesday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast retail sales would gain 0.5% in October. the yen, the dollar fell 0.4% to 104.12 JPY=EBS , while the euro inched higher by 0.1% to $1.1868 EUR=EBS .
"Euro/dollar remains well-supported, buoyed by global optimism," said Chris Turner, global head of markets at ING in a note to clients.
"Given the challenges Europe faces – in the middle of a second lockdown – the euro certainly won't lead the rally against the dollar, but we think the dollar decline is broad enough to drag euro/dollar back to $1.1920."
Europe's shared currency, however, fell against a broadly stronger pound, which gained on media reports that Britain could reach a post-Brexit trade agreement with the European Union by early next week. GBP/
The euro was last down 0.3% versus sterling at 89.56 pence EURGBP=EBS .
The offshore yuan CNH=EBS , meanwhile, hit its highest since June 2018 against the dollar at 6.5457 as positive economic data continued to support the Chinese currency.
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Currency bid prices at 10:02AM (1502 GMT) Description
RIC
Last
U.S. Close Pct Change
YTD Pct
High Bid
Low Bid
Previous
Change
Session
Dollar index
=USD
$92.3850
92.5060
-0.12%
+0.00%
+92.6140
+92.2640 Euro/Dollar
EUR=EBS
$1.1870
$1.1852
+0.15%
+5.88%
+1.1894
+1.1843 Dollar/Yen
JPY=D3
104.1050
104.5250
-0.39%
-4.14%
+104.5750 +104.0950 Euro/Yen
EURJPY=
123.55
123.93
-0.31%
+1.31%
+124.0200 +123.5600 Dollar/Swiss
0.9104
0.9124
-0.20%
-5.90%
+0.9128
+0.9089 Sterling/Dollar GBP=D3
1.3252
1.3202
+0.39%
-0.08%
+1.3272
+1.3192 Dollar/Canadian CAD=D3
1.3092
1.3073
+0.15%
+0.79%
+1.3116
+1.3065 Aussie/Dollar
AUD=D3
0.7294
0.7321
-0.36%
+3.95%
+0.7340
+0.7291 Euro/Swiss
EURCHF=
1.0807
1.0812
-0.05%
-0.41%
+1.0821
+1.0804 Euro/Sterling
EURGBP=
0.8956
0.8978
-0.25%
+5.94%
+0.8990
+0.8949 NZ
NZD=D3
0.6878
0.6905
-0.38%
+2.23%
+0.6918
+0.6876 Dollar/Dollar
Dollar/Norway
NOK=D3
9.0620
9.0850
-0.29%
+3.27%
+9.0940
+9.0340 Euro/Norway
EURNOK=
10.7576
10.7340
+0.22%
+9.35%
+10.7892
+10.7188 Dollar/Sweden
8.6188
8.6063
+0.23%
-7.79%
+8.6399
+8.5886 Euro/Sweden
EURSEK=
10.2322
10.2088
+0.23%
-2.26%
+10.2480
+10.1959