* Dollar index falls to one-week low
* Back and forth on U.S. aid package weighs on dollar
* U.S. jobless claims better than expected
* Graphic: World FX rates in 2020 https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E (New throughout, updates prices, market activity and comments)
By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss
NEW YORK, Aug 13 (Reuters) - The dollar slid on Thursday against some major currencies such as the euro, Swiss franc, and sterling, weighed down by the impasse in Congress about additional U.S. stimulus to help cope with the coronavirus pandemic.
In the afternoon session though, the dollar trimmed its losses, as U.S. stock indexes fell.
After losing 10% of its value from a peak in March, the dollar has been bouncing around its lowest levels in more than two years since late July.
Investors, however, remained focused on the stimulus package talks, which broke down last week.
Funding for the U.S. Postal Service and to shore up election infrastructure became a major sticking point in congressional talks on coronavirus relief, as President Donald Trump vowed to block any money to facilitate mail-in voting. Wednesday, Trump accused congressional Democrats of not wanting to negotiate over a U.S. coronavirus aid package as Republican and Democratic negotiators traded blame for a five-day lapse in talks over relief legislation. stalemate over the stimulus package is troubling," said Amo Sahota, executive director at currency advisory firm Klarity FX in San Francisco. "Sticking more band-aid over it, which is what the administration is trying to do right now, is not enduring."
In afternoon trading, the euro was up 0.1% at $1.1798 EUR=EBS . Since the beginning of July, the euro has gained nearly 6% versus the dollar.
Against the Swiss franc, the dollar fell 0.2% to 0.9105 franc CHF=EBS .
Sterling also rose 0.3% versus the dollar to $1.3051 GBP=D3 .
The dollar index was little changed to slightly lower at 93.316 =USD . Earlier, it fell to a one-week low.
"The dollar being weaker is a sign of positive risk sentiment," said Klarity's Sahota. "The market is moving to places that would give them a better return and more comfortable in buying the Australian dollar, euro, and even the pound."
The dollar also shrugged off better-than-expected U.S. jobless claims data.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits decreased 228,000 to a seasonally adjusted 963,000 for the week ended Aug. 8. That was the lowest level since mid-March when authorities started shutting down non-essential business to slow the spread of the virus. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 1.12 million applications in the latest week. the yen, the dollar was flat at 106.91 yen JPY=EBS .
The offshore yuan CNH=EBS rose to a five-month high, but last traded 0.3% lower at 6.9519 per U.S. dollar. U.S. and Chinese officials meet Saturday to review their Phase I trade deal.
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Currency bid prices at 3:13PM (1913 GMT) Description
RIC
Last
U.S. Close Pct Change
YTD Pct
High Bid
Low Bid
Previous
Change
Session
Euro/Dollar
EUR=
$1.1797
$1.1782
+0.13%
+5.24%
+1.1864
+1.1782 Dollar/Yen
JPY=
106.9300
106.8900
+0.04%
-1.77%
+107.0400 +106.5700 Euro/Yen
EURJPY=
126.17
125.97
+0.16%
+3.46%
+126.7400 +125.9200 Dollar/Swiss
CHF=
0.9105
0.9120
-0.16%
-5.92%
+0.9133
+0.9083 Sterling/Dollar GBP=
1.3046
1.3032
+0.11%
-1.61%
+1.3123
+1.3032 Dollar/Canadian CAD=
1.3223
1.3244
-0.16%
+1.83%
+1.3256
+1.3192 Australian/Doll AUD=
0.7137
0.7162
-0.35%
+1.65%
+0.7187
+0.7138 ar
Euro/Swiss
EURCHF=
1.0746
1.0745
+0.01%
-0.98%
+1.0790
+1.0745 Euro/Sterling
EURGBP=
0.9042
0.9039
+0.03%
+6.96%
+0.9052
+0.9029 NZ
NZD=
0.6539
0.6577
-0.58%
-2.92%
+0.6598
+0.6540 Dollar/Dollar
Dollar/Norway
8.8980
8.9404
-0.47%
+1.36%
+8.9586
+8.8548 Euro/Norway
EURNOK=
10.4980
10.5470
-0.46%
+6.71%
+10.5630
+10.4920 Dollar/Sweden
SEK=
8.7006
8.6788
+0.28%
-6.92%
+8.7070
+8.6529 Euro/Sweden
EURSEK=
10.2679
10.2391
+0.28%
-1.92%
+10.2800
+10.2375