* Gold up, bonds up, yen unmoved
* AUD languishing at 11-year low, kiwi sold
* Euro teeters ahead of PMIs
* Graphic: World FX rates in 2020 https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E
By Tom Westbrook
SINGAPORE, Feb 21 (Reuters) - The yen was set for its worst
week in two-and-a-half years on Friday, as fears over the
creeping spread of the coronavirus epidemic drove funds out of
Asia and looking for safety in the U.S. dollar, gold and bonds.
Though it barely budged on Friday, the yen has lost 2%
against the dollar in the previous two days, due to weak
Japanese economic data and coronavirus worries. China reported an uptick in infections from a virus that has
already killed more than 2,200 people there and paralysed its
economy.
South Korea reported 52 new cases, lifting its national
total by a third to 156. Japan has reported new deaths and,
along with Singapore, stands on the brink of recession.
"Market participants are getting anxious over the spread of
COVID-19 in other countries now," said Johanna Chua, emerging
markets Asia economist at Citi in Hong Kong.
"The risk sentiment in Asia deteriorated rapidly. The
weakness was most felt in emerging markets Asia FX."
China's tightly-managed yuan CNY= is sitting at a
two-month low of 7.0286 per dollar. CNY/
The Australian dollar AUD=D3 traded at an 11-year low of
$0.6603 and the kiwi NZD=D3 at a four-month low of $0.6310.
Both are heavily exposed to China via trade and have lost 6%
since the start of the year. The tourism-exposed Thai baht
THB= has dropped 5.5% while the Korean won KRW= and
Singapore dollar SGD= have shed more than 4%. EMRG/FRX
Against a basket of currencies, the dollar is sitting just
below a three-year peak hit overnight =USD .
Yet amid the flight that pushed gold to a seven-year peak
and U.S. treasury 10-year yields below 1.5%, the yen merely
nursed its losses at 112.00 per dollar.
"New cases in (South) Korea and in Japan, (have) obviously
given some people a little bit of cold feet regarding Japan and
the yen as a safe haven," said David Bloom, global head of FX at
HSBC.
"They're thinking: 'Maybe Swissy and gold are better'. So
there is a little bit of scratching of heads, there's no doubt
about it," he said, adding he was not yet prepared to abandon
the idea of the yen as a safety play.
Meanwhile factory activity in Japan suffered its steepest
contraction in seven years this month, data showed on Friday.
Should European Purchasing Managers' Index data show similar
softness, another round of dollar buying may be in the offing.
"The U.S. is simply less exposed to any slowdown in global
trade, and in terms of currencies it's the obvious candidate in
terms of relatively limited impact from coronavirus," said
Westpac FX analyst Sean Callow.
"If European business takes fright at coronavirus concern,
that could be a fresh cause of dollar buying across the board."
The euro sank to a three-year low this week and last traded
at $1.0790 EUR= . The pound is a fraction firmer than an almost
three-month low touched overnight at $1.2890 GBP= .