FOREX-Dollar edges higher on strong data, despite lower yields

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

 (Adds quotes, updates prices; changes dateline, previous
LONDON)
    By Karen Brettell
    NEW YORK, April 15 (Reuters) - The dollar index edged higher
on Thursday in choppy trading as investors balanced bullish data
showing U.S. retail sales rebounded sharply in March against a
continued drop in U.S. Treasury yields.
    Retail sales increased 9.8% last month, the Commerce
Department said on Thursday, beating economists' expectations
for a 5.9% increase.
    A separate report also showed that initial claims for state
unemployment benefits totaled a seasonally adjusted 576,000 for
the week ended April 10, compared with 769,000 in the prior
week. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 700,000
applications in the latest week.
    “This was a one-two punch of really positive data,” said
Edward Moya, senior market analyst at OANDA in New York.
    Dollar strength was capped, however, as Treasury yields
 dropped to one-month lows, reducing the relative
attractiveness of the U.S. currency.
    The dollar index earlier on Thursday hit a one-month
low of 91.487, before rebounding to 91.633, up 0.03% on the day.
    The euro fell 0.07% to $1.1971. The greenback fell
0.15% to 109.73 Japanese yen.
    The dollar has been on the back foot this month as Treasury
yields stabilize below one-year highs reached last month. Yields
have fallen as the U.S. Federal Reserve reiterates its
commitment to holding rates near zero for years to come, and on
some concerns that a recent uptick in inflation will be
temporary.
    Strong risk appetite as stocks hit record highs is also seen
as denting the appeal of the greenback.
    The Australian dollar, a proxy for global risk
sentiment, rose 0.36% on Thursday to $0.7749.
    Rising geopolitical tensions may be helping demand for
safe-haven U.S. bonds on Thursday.
    “We’re seeing more risks across emerging markets right now,
and that’s probably going to keep some Treasury demand going,”
said Moya.
    The Russian rouble tumbled on Thursday, at one point losing
2% to the dollar in volatile trade and hitting a more than
five-month low versus the euro as the White House announced new
sanctions targeting Russia's sovereign debt.
    U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday authorized the move to
punish Moscow for interfering in the 2020 U.S. election -
allegations Russia denies.
    Bitcoin stood near a record high of $64,895
reached on Wednesday, when cryptocurrency platform Coinbase
 made its debut in Nasdaq in a direct listing. It was
last up 0.07% on the day at $63,028.
    
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    Currency bid prices at 9:46AM (1346 GMT)
 Description      RIC         Last           U.S. Close  Pct Change     YTD Pct       High Bid    Low Bid
                                              Previous                   Change                   
                                              Session                                             
 Dollar index                 91.6330        91.6190     +0.03%         1.836%        +91.7300    +91.4870
 Euro/Dollar                  $1.1971        $1.1980     -0.07%         -2.02%        +$1.1994    +$1.1957
 Dollar/Yen                   108.7250       108.9550    -0.15%         +5.33%        +108.9550   +108.7300
 Euro/Yen                     130.15         130.47      -0.25%         +2.54%        +130.5500   +130.0700
 Dollar/Swiss                 0.9223         0.9229      -0.04%         +4.27%        +0.9245     +0.9215
 Sterling/Dollar              $1.3779        $1.3776     +0.02%         +0.85%        +$1.3808    +$1.3762
 Dollar/Canadian              1.2508         1.2521      -0.10%         -1.77%        +1.2528     +1.2477
 Aussie/Dollar                $0.7749        $0.7723     +0.36%         +0.76%        +$0.7761    +$0.7706
 Euro/Swiss                   1.1042         1.1053      -0.10%         +2.16%        +1.1063     +1.1041
 Euro/Sterling                0.8686         0.8692      -0.07%         -2.81%        +0.8698     +0.8671
 NZ                           $0.7164        $0.7140     +0.35%         -0.22%        +$0.7180    +$0.7138
 Dollar/Dollar                                                                                    
 Dollar/Norway                8.3765         8.3950      -0.21%         -2.44%        +8.4050     +8.3580
 Euro/Norway                  10.0280        10.0479     -0.20%         -4.19%        +10.0660    +10.0190
 Dollar/Sweden                8.4508         8.4648      -0.20%         +3.10%        +8.4770     +8.4419
 Euro/Sweden                  10.1170        10.1372     -0.20%         +0.40%        +10.1485    +10.1138
 

 (Reporting by Karen Brettell; additional reporting by Ritvik
Carvalho in London; editing by Jonathan Oatis)