By Kevin (*9*) TOKYO, Aug 20 (Reuters) – The safe-haven U.S. greenback marked a recent 9-1/2-month excessive in opposition to main friends on Friday, buoyed by fears that the Delta coronavirus variant may delay the worldwide financial restoration. The dollar was additionally boosted by expectations the Federal Reserve may nonetheless begin to taper stimulus this yr, even with COVID-19 infections surging this month in the United States. The greenback index, which measures the forex in opposition to six rivals, rose as excessive as 93.597 for the primary time since early November, earlier than buying and selling little modified at 93.535. For the week, it is on monitor to realize 1.08%, probably the most in two months. “Markets are unsettled by Delta’s unfold and deteriorating international rebound prospects, but the Fed continues to inch towards tapering,” Westpac strategists wrote in a analysis report. That has put the greenback index “in an assertive place as it breaks out to new highs,” and it may high 94 later this yr as a taper comes nearer to turning into actuality, they mentioned. The Australian greenback sank to a brand new 9 1/2-month low of $0.71265 earlier than buying and selling principally flat at $0.71455. It has fallen 3.14% this week, on monitor for its worst efficiency since September of final yr, as a COVID-19 lockdown on Sydney was prolonged by a month. New Zealand’s kiwi dipped to a recent nine-month trough at $0.6808 earlier than altering fingers 0.2% larger on the day at $0.68385. It has sunk 2.85% for the week, additionally the worst since September. The authorities on Friday prolonged a snap COVID-19 lockdown that delayed the nation’s central financial institution from elevating rates of interest this week. The Canadian greenback, generally identified as the “loonie”, dropped to a recent six-month low of C$1.2832 amid a plunge in oil costs on worries concerning the international financial system. “Risk aversion in the air has buoyed the dollar, with pro-growth currencies bearing the brunt of it,” Rodrigo Catril, a strategist at National Australia Bank, wrote in a shopper word. The yen, one other safe-haven forex, was flat at 109.755 per greenback, however stays in the centre of its buying and selling vary of the previous six weeks. The euro ticked up 0.09% to $1.16865, however nonetheless traded close to the 9 1/2-month low of $1.16655 reached in a single day. It is down 0.91% this week, probably the most since mid-June. Minutes of the Fed’s July assembly, launched on Wednesday, confirmed officers largely count on to scale back their month-to-month bond shopping for later this yr, though divisions stay on the timing and tempo of a taper, and whether or not inflation, joblessness or the coronavirus pandemic pose an even bigger risk to financial restoration. Daily COVID-19 infections in the United States have soared from fewer than 10,000 in early July to greater than 150,000 in August as the Delta variant took maintain. A decline in debt purchases by the Fed is broadly thought-about constructive for the greenback as it’s anticipated to boost U.S. authorities bond yields, making it extra enticing for buyers to carry dollar-denominated property. The focus for Fed watchers now’s the annual Jackson Hole, Wyoming symposium, which runs Aug. 26 to twenty-eight. Sterling touched a recent one-month low of $1.3619 earlier than buying and selling flat at $1.36335. It has fallen 1.71% this week, which might be the largest drop for 2 months. The Chinese yuan sank to a brand new three-week low of 6.5104 per greenback in the offshore market earlier than buying and selling about 0.1% weaker at 6.5056. ======================================================== Currency bid costs at 0419 GMT Description RIC Last U.S. Close Pct Change YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid Previous Change Session Euro/Dollar $1.1687 $1.1677 +0.09% -4.35% +1.1687 +1.1675 Dollar/Yen 109.7500 109.7900 -0.02% +6.27% +109.8800 +109.6850 Euro/Yen Dollar/Swiss 0.9165 0.9188 -0.25% +3.59% +0.9189 +0.9162 Sterling/Dollar 1.3634 1.3631 +0.00% -0.23% +1.3640 +1.3619 Dollar/Canadian 1.2850 1.2831 +0.16% +0.92% +1.2864 +1.2815 Aussie/Dollar 0.7145 0.7147 -0.03% -7.12% +0.7156 +0.7127 NZ 0.6839 0.6827 +0.21% -4.74% +0.6840 +0.6808 Dollar/Dollar All spots Tokyo spots Europe spots Volatilities Tokyo Forex market information from BOJ (Reporting by Kevin (*9*); Editing by Ana Nicolaci da Costa)