News: FOREX-Yen firm, euro falters as Ukraine crisis deepens

The safe-haven yen hit a near three-week high and the euro touched a one-week low in Asia trade on Tuesday as Russia ordered troops into breakaway parts of eastern Ukraine and the West vowed sanctions in response.
The yen JPY=EBS edged about 0.2% higher to 114.50 to the dollar in early trade, before retreating slightly, while the euro EUR=EBS dipped about 0.1% to $1.1297. The Swiss franc CHF=EBS , another safe-haven, hit a one-month high on Monday.
Trade in other currencies steadied as investors await further developments in the crisis - with the Russian rouble RUB= climbing back above 80-to-the-dollar and the risk-sensitive Antipodean currencies holding firm.
"It is remarkably restrained...but in these circumstances risk metrics are the driving force," said NAB head of foreign exchange strategy, Ray Attrill.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the deployment of troops to two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine after recognising them as independent.
A senior U.S. official said the move did not yet constitute a "further invasion" that would trigger the harshest sanctions, but that a wider campaign could come at any time.
Britain, France and Germany agreed to respond to Russia's recognition of the breakaway regions with sanctions, and the White House said it would announce further measures.
"Russia hasn't invaded...(but) we still need to watch developments in the crisis," said Scotiabank strategist Qi Gao.
A planned meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday is now in focus ahead of a possible U.S.-Russia leaders summit on Friday.
The Russian rouble RUB= tanked more than 3% against the dollar on Monday and extended its slide on Tuesday, before steadying at 79.147 per dollar. Ukraine's currency UAH= fell more than 1% on Monday.
The risk-sensitive Australian and New Zealand dollars firmed slightly, but kept within recent ranges as analysts said commodity prices and a market already positioned heavily short Aussie dollars limited sentiment-driven selling.
The Australian dollar AUD=D3 was last up about 0.2% at $0.7205.
"The sharp sell-off in Russian assets is a stark reminder that tension remains super high and risk sentiment is being hit across equity, credit and bond markets," Westpac analysts said in a note.
"However, the commodity story remains super supportive though and we are in the middle of miner dividend season meaning that we are likely set for more rangy price action around $0.72."
The kiwi NZD=D3 last up 0.2% at $0.6714 and sterling GBP=D3 was down about 0.1% to $1.3593.
The U.S. dollar index =USD held at 96.147. Cryptocurrencies were under pressure, with bitcoin BTC=BTSP dropping to an almost three-week low of $36,370.
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	Currency bid prices at 0527 GMT 
 Description	  RIC		 Last		   U.S. Close  Pct Change	 YTD Pct	 High Bid	Low Bid 
											  Previous				   Change				  
											  Session											
 Euro/Dollar	   EUR=EBS	$1.1306		$1.1311	 -0.04%		 -0.54%	  +1.1320	 +1.1288 
 Dollar/Yen		JPY=EBS	114.7050	   114.8200	-0.09%		 -0.26%	  +114.7900   +114.5500 
 Euro/Yen		 																			 
 Dollar/Swiss	  CHF=EBS	0.9160		 0.9157	  +0.03%		 +0.42%	  +0.9169	 +0.9157 
 Sterling/Dollar   GBP=D3	 1.3596		 1.3603	  -0.09%		 +0.49%	  +1.3599	 +1.3582 
 Dollar/Canadian   CAD=D3	 1.2749		 1.2750	  +0.04%		 +0.88%	  +1.2769	 +1.2748 
 Aussie/Dollar	 AUD=D3	 0.7209		 0.7189	  +0.29%		 -0.83%	  +0.7212	 +0.7172 
 NZ				NZD=D3	 0.6717		 0.6701	  +0.22%		 -1.89%	  +0.6718	 +0.6681 
 Dollar/Dollar																				   
All spots FX= Tokyo spots AFX= Europe spots EFX= Volatilities FXVOL= Tokyo Forex market info from BOJ TKYFX
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World FX rates	https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E 
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