SNB continues to intervene only cautiously – Commerzbank

FXStreet Insights Team FXStreet

Yesterday's figures on the Swiss National Bank's (SNB) foreign exchange interventions, which amounted to around 100 million in the fourth quarter, once again confirmed that the SNB is currently intervening in the foreign exchange market rather cautiously, Commerzbank's FX analyst Michael Pfister notes.

SNB is likely to be comfortable with the franc at the moment

"In total, the SNB bought around 1.2 billion CHF in foreign currencies last year to weaken the franc - not a particularly large sum compared with the 22.6 billion CHF in foreign currency sales in the fourth quarter 2023 alone, when the SNB was still trying to strengthen the franc."

"But the new figures will have come as little surprise to market participants. While the SNB has emphasised its willingness to intervene more forcefully in the foreign exchange market if necessary, it has also repeatedly warned of the risks of an excessively large balance sheet."

"And with Donald Trump in the White House and the risk of being hit with tariffs for intervening to weaken the franc, the SNB is likely to remain cautious in the coming months. However, with EUR/CHF now trading higher than at the end of February due to a stronger euro, the SNB is likely to be more comfortable with the franc at the moment than it was last year."

Author

FXStreet Insights Team

FXStreet

The FXStreet Insights Team is a group of journalists that handpicks selected market observations published by renowned experts. The content includes notes by commercial as well as additional insights by internal and external analysts.

EUR/USD flirts with daily highs, retargets 1.1900

EUR/USD regains upside traction, returning to the 1.1880 zone and refocusing its attention to the key 1.1900 barrier. The pair’s slight gains comes against the backdrop of a humble decline in the US Dollar as investors continue to assess the latest US CPI readings and the potential Fed’s rate path.

GBP/USD remains well bid around 1.3650

GBP/USD maintains its upside momentum in place, hovering around daily highs near 1.3650 and setting aside part of the recent three-day drop. Cable’s improved sentiment comes on the back of the Greenback’s irresolute price action, while recent hawkish comments from the BoE’s Pill also collaborate with the uptick.

Gold clings to gains just above $5,000/oz

Gold is reclaiming part of the ground lost on Wednesday’s marked decline, as bargain-hunters keep piling up and lifting prices past the key $5,000 per troy ounce. The precious metal’s move higher is also underpinned by the slight pullback in the US Dollar and declining US Treasury yields across the curve.

Crypto Today: Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP in choppy price action, weighed down by falling institutional interest

Bitcoin's upside remains largely constrained amid weak technicals and declining institutional interest. Ethereum trades sideways above $1,900 support with the upside capped below $2,000 amid ETF outflows.

Week ahead – Data blitz, Fed Minutes and RBNZ decision in the spotlight

US GDP and PCE inflation are main highlights, plus the Fed minutes. UK and Japan have busy calendars too with focus on CPI. Flash PMIs for February will also be doing the rounds. RBNZ meets, is unlikely to follow RBA’s hawkish path.

Ripple Price Forecast: XRP potential bottom could be in sight

Ripple edges up above the intraday low of $1.35 at the time of writing on Friday amid mixed price actions across the crypto market. The remittance token failed to hold support at $1.40 the previous day, reflecting risk-off sentiment amid a decline in retail and institutional sentiment.