By Tom Westbrook
       SINGAPORE, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Asian currencies caught a
boost from better-than-expected Chinese economic data on
Wednesday, driving the yuan to a one-week high and putting a
dampener on the U.S. dollar.    
    A blast at a Gaza hospital, however, kept moves modest and
traders on edge at the prospect of a widening conflict. U.S.
President Joe Biden is due to visit Israel on Wednesday. The
shekel was pinned to the weaker side of 4 to the
dollar.
    Official data showed China's economy grew 1.3% in the third
quarter, accelerating from 0.5% in the previous quarter and
topping market forecasts for an increase of 1%. Industrial
output rose and unemployment fell.
    "It pretty much means the growth target for this year of
around 5% will be achieved, maybe slightly above," said UOB
economist Woei Chen Ho in Singapore.
    The yuan and trade-dependent Australian and New Zealand
dollars all bounced. The Aussie was last up 0.2% at
$0.6378. The kiwi rose by the same margin to $0.5909.
    The yuan hit a one-week high of 7.2905 per
dollar, though it then retreated to 7.306.
    On Tuesday, U.S. yields had shot sharply higher after data
showed retail sales increased strongly, which had helped the
dollar pile pressure on the low-yielding Japanese yen.
    The yen was last at 149.68 to the dollar and was
squeezed, as the Bank of Japan unexpectedly announced $2 billion
in bond-buying to keep downward pressure on yields.
    Elsewhere the dollar struggled to gain, which some analysts
suggested could point to a loss of momentum.
    The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield has climbed
about 100 basis points since mid July, and the dollar index
 is up 7% in the same period. 
    "It's had a really good run and it's stalled a bit," said
Westpac analyst Imre Speizer. "Maybe it's hitting the limits of
this stage of the rally, and needs a bit of a correction."    
    The euro gained 0.1% overnight and was steady at
$1.0574 in Asia. Sterling held at $1.2170.
    
    ========================================================
    Currency bid prices at 0516 GMT
 Description      RIC         Last           U.S. Close  Pct Change     YTD Pct     High Bid    Low Bid
                                              Previous                   Change                 
                                              Session                                           
 Euro/Dollar                                                                                    
                              $1.0579         $1.0576    +0.02%          +0.00%      +1.0579     +1.0561
                                                                                                
 Dollar/Yen                                                                                     
                              149.6600        149.7900   -0.08%          +0.00%      +149.7900   +149.5500
                                                                                                
 Euro/Yen                   158.34          158.44     -0.06%          +0.00%      +158.4500   +158.1500
                                                                                                
 Dollar/Swiss                                                                                   
                              0.8989          0.9005     -0.16%          +0.00%      +0.9009     +0.8988
                                                                                                
 Sterling/Dollar                                                                                
                              1.2182          1.2184     -0.01%          +0.00%      +1.2184     +1.2160
                                                                                                
 Dollar/Canadian                                                                                
                              1.3634          1.3648     -0.10%          +0.00%      +1.3658     +1.3632
                                                                                                
 Aussie/Dollar                                                                                  
                              0.6380          0.6366     +0.21%          +0.00%      +0.6382     +0.6352
                                                                                                
 NZ                                                                                             
 Dollar/Dollar                0.5907          0.5897     +0.17%          +0.00%      +0.5911     +0.5880
                                                                                                
                                                                                                
    
All spots
Tokyo spots
Europe spots 
Volatilities 
Tokyo Forex market info from BOJ 

    
 (Reporting by Tom Westbrook;
Editing by Shri Navaratnam)