(Adds FX table, updates prices, adds analyst comment in paragraph 6 and 15)
The U.S. dollar hit more than a one-month high on Monday as investors sought a safe haven due to concerns about China's economy, and traders braced for possible Japanese government intervention after the yen hit its lowest level since November.
The dollar index =USD , which tracks the currency against its major peers, was up 0.36% to 103.23, its highest level in more than a month.
Analysts said investors bought the dollar as shelter from concerns about the health of the global economy, particularly China.
A source told Reuters that Country Garden, China's largest private developer, is seeking to delay payment on a private onshore bond for the first time, in a new sign of stress in the sector.
Meanwhile, two Chinese listed companies said at the weekend they had not received payment on maturing investment products from asset manager Zhongrong International Trust Co.
"A lot of traders are focusing again on China," said Edward Moya, senior market analyst at OANDA. "I think there's so much concern with just their growth outlook, with their current property crisis, and I think one of the biggest wealth managers not being able to make debt obligations is a big red flag."
Japan's yen JPY=EBS was trading at its lowest level since November at 145.35 per dollar, with the dollar up 0.26% against the currency.
The Bank of Japan has stuck to its ultra-loose monetary policy as other global central banks hiked interest rates, making returns in other countries look more attractive and weighing heavily on the yen.
Japan intervened in currency markets last September when the dollar rose past 145 yen, prompting the Ministry of Finance (MOF) to buy the yen and push the pair back to around 140 yen. The yen is down nearly 10% against the dollar for the year.
"Lack of verbal intervention so far suggests that the patience level of Japanese authorities may have gone up after the latest tweak to monetary policy and the disinflation trends in the United States," said Charu Chanana, a market strategist at Saxo Markets.
"Still, traders are potentially cautious of that 145 handle."
The Australian dollar AUD=D3 slid to its lowest level since May at $0.6456 and was last down 0.30% versus the U.S. dollar at $0.648. The currency is often seen as a proxy for investor sentiment on China.
Sterling GBP=D3 was last down 0.34% to $1.2653, while the euro EUR=EBS was 0.46% lower at $1.08965.
Russia's rouble RUBUTSTN=MCX fell past 100 per U.S. dollar on Monday, driven in large part by the Russian current account surplus shrinking as energy export revenue dropped and government spending on the Ukraine war remained high.
"Whenever you fall through some key technical levels, it reminds traders, it reminds markets of just how hard hitting this war has been on the Russian economy," said Moya.
Economic data could move currencies later in the week, as investors will scrutinize Chinese industrial output and consumer spending data on Tuesday, before minutes from the latest U.S. Federal Reserve meeting on Wednesday. British inflation figures are also due on Wednesday.
Japanese GDP data is due on Tuesday, ahead of inflation figures on Friday.
======================================================== Currency bid prices at 10:30AM (1430 GMT)Description RIC Last U.S. Close Pct Change YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid Previous Change Session Dollar index =USD 103.2300 102.8700 +0.36% -0.251% +103.4600 +102.7600 Euro/Dollar EUR=EBS $1.0896 $1.0947 -0.46% +1.69% +$1.0965 +$1.0874 Dollar/Yen JPY=EBS 145.3150 144.9550 +0.26% +10.85% +145.5700 +144.6500 Euro/Yen EURJPY= 158.35 158.65 -0.19% +12.87% +158.8200 +158.2000 Dollar/Swiss CHF=EBS 0.8794 0.8764 +0.37% -4.87% +0.8828 +0.8756 Sterling/Dollar GBP=D3 $1.2654 $1.2697 -0.34% +4.63% +$1.2713 +$1.2617 Dollar/Canadian CAD=D3 1.3460 1.3446 +0.12% -0.64% +1.3478 +1.3437 Aussie/Dollar AUD=D3 $0.6476 $0.6498 -0.30% -4.97% +$0.6503 +$0.6454 Euro/Swiss EURCHF= 0.9582 0.9595 -0.14% -3.16% +0.9613 +0.9583 Euro/Sterling EURGBP= 0.8608 0.8620 -0.14% -2.67% +0.8632 +0.8608 NZ NZD=D3 $0.5965 $0.5985 -0.29% -6.02% +$0.5991 +$0.5944 Dollar/DollarEuro/Norway EURNOK= 11.4147 11.4084 +0.06% +8.84% +11.4769 +11.4104 Dollar/Sweden SEK= 10.8386 10.8246 -0.37% +4.14% +10.8866 +10.7994 Euro/Sweden EURSEK= 11.8063 11.8505 -0.37% +5.94% +11.8886 +11.7970 <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ World FX rates https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>
