* U.S. unemployment claims fall from last week * Trump rips into China over coronavirus handling * World Currency Graphics: http: //tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh (Add new comment, US data, FX table, update prices, changes byline, dateline ; previous LONDON) By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss NEW YORK, May 14 (Reuters) – The dollar rose to a three-week high on Thursday as stock markets weakened sharply after Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell dismissed speculation over US interest rates coming into negative territory. European stock markets declined, and the U.S. Equities were also down, the third row in a row, sending investors to the relative safety of the greenback. Comments from the top U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci earlier this week, warning of the premature lifting of lockdowns that could lead to further outbreaks of the deadly new coronavirus, also bucked the market’s sentiment, analysts said. “This whole week has been pretty risk-free. There are many factors that can be pointed out, from Powell to Fauci, to Trump,” said John Doyle, vice president of trade and commerce, at Tempus Inc. in Washington. Still, the dollar is king when this happens, he added. U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said he was disappointed in China for its lack of coronavirus content and that the pandemic shamed his U.S.-China trade deal. His comments raised concern about renewed trade tensions in the US and China. Against a basket of its rivals, the dollar rose 0.3% to 100.41, hitting a three-week high of 100.56 earlier in the session. Although Powell was the latest in a parade of makers to abolish the notion that rates could go negative, price-fixing futures are a small chance for the U.S. rates by May next year. Powell said the recovery may take some time as he warned of a recession that was worse than any other since World War II. “His words were a blow to the optimism that had built up in the markets over the last few weeks as the relaxation of social distancing constraints had raised expectations of a V-shaped recovery following the viral crisis,” said Raffi Boyadjian, senior investment analyst at XM. Data showing millions more Americans, including white-collar workers, submitted only unemployment benefits last week with bids on the dollar. The initial state unemployment benefit claims totaled a seasonally adjusted $ 2,981 million for the week ending May 9. It was down from 3.176 million in the previous week and marked the sixth week of the fall. The euro fell 0.2% against the dollar at $ 1.0793. The Australian dollar fell sharply after data showed the country discarding jobs in April at the fastest pace on the record, suggesting more monetary and fiscal relief may be needed to support the economy. The Australian dollar was last down 0.4% to US $ 0.6430. The pound also fell below the $ 1.22 line for the first time in more than five weeks after Wednesday’s data showed the UK’s economy shrank by a record 5.8% in March as the coronavirus crisis escalated. ================================================== ====== Foreign exchange rates at 10:28 AM (1428 GMT) Description RIC Last US Close Pct Change YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid Previous Change Session Euro / Dollar EUR = $ 1.0809 $ 1.0816 -0.06% -3.58% +1.0824 +1.0776 Dollar / Yen JPY = 106.9000 107.0200 – 0.11% -80% +107.1000 +106.7800 Euro / Yen EURJPY = 115.58 115.77 -0.16% -5.22% +115.8600 +115.3400 Dollar / Swiss CHF = 0.9718 0.9719 – 0.01% + 0.41% +0.9755 +0.9714 Sterling / Dollar GBP = 1.2204 1.2229-0.20% -7.96% +1.2241 +1.2167 USD / Canadian CAD = 1.4102 1.4099 + 0.02% + 8.59% +1.4139 +1.4069 Australian / Doll AUD = 0.6431 0.6454 -0.36% -8.40% +0.6467 +0.6405 ar Euro / Swiss EURCHF = 1.0507 1.0517-0.10% -3.18% +1.0521 +1.0506 / Sterling EURGBP = 0.8854 0.88842 + 0.14% + 4.73% +0.8870 + 0.8832 NZ NZD = 0.5980 0.5990 -0.17% -11.22% +0.6003 + 0.5958 Dollar / Dollar Dollar / Norway NOK = 10.2203 10.1163 + 0.55% + 16.43% +10.2722 + 10.1533 Euro / Norway EURNOK = 11.0490 11.0000 + 0.45% + 12.31% +11.0792 +10.9870 Dollar / Sweden SEK = 9.8428 9.8082 + 0.2 1% + 5.30% +9.8938 +9.8089 Euro / Sweden EURSEK = 10.6389 10.6161 + 0.21% + 1.62% +10.6640 +10.6164 (Reporting by Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss; Further reporting from Saikat Chatterjee in London Editing by Bernadette Baum)