Bitcoin speeds toward 100,000
Yen gains after BOJ39;s Ueda says will scrutinise data up till Dec meeting

TOKYO, Nov 21 Reuters The U.S. dollar paused its climb on Thursday as traders awaited more clarity on U.S. Presidentelect Donald Trump39;s proposed policies and sought to secondguess the prospects of less aggressive interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve.

Meanwhile, bitcoin sped toward 100,000, continuing a blistering rally in the past few weeks on hopes the presidentelect will create a friendlier regulatory environment for cryptocurrencies.

Bitcoin reached a record high of 97,902 on Thursday, underpinned by a report Trump39;s social media company was in talks to buy crypto trading firm Bakkt. It was last up 2.54 at 96,860.

The dollar index was down 0.11 at 106.49, but was holding onto most of the previous session39;s gains after investors lifted the dollar index measure against its key rivals closer to a oneyear high of 107.07 hit last week.

It39;s hard to short the USD right now, given that investors are also increasingly weighing the possibility that the Fed might not cut rates next month after all, said senior market analyst Matt Simpson at City Index.

That sentiment was driven by sharp swings in market pricing, which currently sets the odds of a Fed rate cut at its December meeting at just under 54, down from 82.5 only a week ago, according to CME39;s FedWatch Tool.

A Reuters poll showed most economists expect the Fed to cut rates at its December…