Pneumonia-like virus in China hurts risk appetite Euro erases...

• Pneumonia-like virus in China hurts risk appetite
• Euro erases earlier gains after data beat expectations
• Sterling up after strong jobs report

(Adds U.S. coronavirus case, updates prices)

China's yuan tumbled on Tuesday and the safe-haven Japanese yen rallied as the spread of a pneumonia-like virus in China dampened risk appetite.

China reported a fourth death from a new coronavirus as the number of cases continued to rise. U.S. officials also confirmed the first U.S. case of the virus on Tuesday.

Global stocks fell as the outbreak rekindled memories of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2002-2003, another coronavirus which broke out in China and killed nearly 800 people in a global pandemic.

"You've got a stronger yen, a stronger Swiss franc and risk aversion is setting in across everything," said Kit Juckes, an analyst at Societe Generale.

The dollar was last up 0.60% against the offshore yuan at 6.9073 per dollar CNH= .

Currencies linked to Chinese trade and tourism also dropped. The Australian dollar AUD= fell to its lowest in over a month at $0.6842.

The dollar weakened 0.35% against the safe-haven Japanese yen JPY= to 109.79.

The Bank of Japan also earlier nudged up its economic growth forecasts and was cautiously optimistic about the global outlook, though it said ongoing risks meant it was far too soon to consider scaling down its massive stimulus program.

The euro erased earlier gains against the dollar that were sparked by better-than-expected data in the region.

A survey from Germany's ZEW research institute showed that the mood among German investors brightened far more than expected in January.

The single currency was also earlier supported by expectations that the European Central Bank will offer a brighter view of the economy when it meets on Thursday.

“We could see a little bit more cautious optimism there. That’s getting people a little bit more excited about the euro,” said Mazen Issa, senior FX strategist at TD Securities in New York.

The euro EUR= was last down 0.03% at $1.1091, after earlier rising to $1.1118.

Sterling benefited from news that Britain's economy created jobs at its fastest rate in nearly a year in the three months to November, potentially undermining the case for a Bank of England interest rate cut next week.

The pound was last up 0.34% at $1.3053 GBP= .

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	Currency bid prices at 2:17PM (1917 GMT) 

 Description	  RIC		 Last		   U.S. Close  Pct Change	 YTD Pct	 High Bid	Low Bid 
											  Previous				   Change				  
											  Session											
 Euro/Dollar	  EUR=		$1.1091		$1.1094	 -0.03%		 -1.06%	  +1.1118	 +1.1086 
 Dollar/Yen	   JPY=		109.7900	   110.1800	-0.35%		 +0.85%	  +110.2100   +109.7800 
 Euro/Yen		 EURJPY=	 121.80		 122.23	  -0.35%		 -0.12%	  +122.3600   +121.7700 
 Dollar/Swiss	 CHF=		0.9678		 0.9679	  -0.01%		 +0.00%	  +0.9689	 +0.9662 
 Sterling/Dollar  GBP=		1.3053		 1.3009	  +0.34%		 -1.55%	  +1.3083	 +1.2996 
 Dollar/Canadian  CAD=		1.3073		 1.3046	  +0.21%		 +0.67%	  +1.3077	 +1.3044 
 Australian/Doll  AUD=		0.6848		 0.6872	  -0.35%		 -2.46%	  +0.6880	 +0.6845 
 ar																							  

 Euro/Swiss	   EURCHF=	 1.0737		 1.0741	  -0.04%		 -1.06%	  +1.0751	 +1.0732 
 Euro/Sterling	EURGBP=	 0.8496		 0.8526	  -0.35%		 +0.50%	  +0.8535	 +0.8495 
 NZ			   NZD=		0.6597		 0.6606	  -0.14%		 -2.06%	  +0.6615	 +0.6589 
 Dollar/Dollar																				   

 Dollar/Norway	NOK=		8.9736		 8.9256	  +0.54%		 +2.22%	  +8.9777	 +8.9241 
 Euro/Norway	  EURNOK=	 9.9552		 9.9033	  +0.52%		 +1.19%	  +9.9588	 +9.9034 
 Dollar/Sweden	SEK=		9.5121		 9.5145	  -0.07%		 +1.76%	  +9.5387	 +9.4907 
 Euro/Sweden	  EURSEK=	 10.5522		10.5599	 -0.07%		 +0.79%	  +10.5760	+10.5478