- USD/CHF prolongs its two-month-old uptrend and climbs to its highest level since late June.
- The Fed's hawkish outlook, rising US bond yields underpin the USD and remain supportive.
- Investors now look to the SNB policy meeting for some impetus ahead of the US macro data.
The USD/CHF pair touches its highest level since late June during the Asian session on Thursday, with bulls now looking to build on the momentum further beyond the 0.9000 psychological mark.
The US Dollar (USD) builds on the previous day's hawkish Federal Reserve (Fed)-inspired recovery from over a one-week low and has now moved well within the striking distance of a six-month high, which, in turn, acts as a tailwind for the USD/CHF pair. The US central bank, as was anticipated, decided to leave the benchmark federal funds rate unchanged on Wednesday, though signalled one more rate hike by the end of this year. In fact, the so-called 'dot-plot' forecasted rates to peak at 5.5% to 5.75% in 2023. Adding to this, policymakers now see the benchmark rate at 5.1% next year, suggesting just two rate cuts in 2024 as compared to four rate cuts projected previously.
This reaffirms a higher-for-longer narrative and pushes the yield on the rate-sensitive two-year US government bond to a 17-year high. Furthermore, the benchmark 10-year yield has climbed to its highest since late 2007, which continues to boost the Greenback and assists the USD/CHF pair to prolong its strong upward trajectory witnessed over the past two months or so. With the latest leg up, spot prices have now rallied around 450 pips from the July swing low, though some follow-through buying and acceptance above the 0.9000 mark is needed to support prospects for additional gains. The market focus now shifts to the Swiss National Bank (SNB) policy meeting, due this Thursday.
The current market pricing indicates a greater possibility that the SNB will hike interest rates for the sixth successive time in SSeptember That said, the recent slew of weak real economy data, sub-2% readings on the headline and core inflation, and the strengthening of the Swiss Franc (CHF) against its European counterpart might force the central bank to limit any further tightening. Hence, the accompanying monetary policy statement will be scrutinized for cues about the future rate-hike path and provide some impetus to the USD/CHF pair.
Later during the early North American session, the US economic docket – featuring the usual Initial Weekly Jobless Claims, Philly Fed Manufacturing Index and Existing Home Sales data – will also be looked upon for short-term opportunities. Nevertheless, the aforementioned fundamental backdrop seems tilted in favour of the USD bulls and suggests that the path of least resistance for the USD/CHF pair is to the upside. Hence, any immediate market reaction to a more hawkish SNB is more likely to be seen as an opportunity for bullish traders and remain limited.
Technical levels to watch
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.
The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
Recommended content
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD bounces off lows, retests 1.1370
Following an early drop to the vicinity of 1.1310, EUR/USD now manages to regain pace and retargets the 1.1370-1.1380 band on the back of a tepid knee-jerk in the US Dollar, always amid growing optimism over a potential de-escalation in the US-China trade war.
GBP/USD trades slightly on the defensive in the low-1.3300s
GBP/USD remains under a mild selling pressure just above 1.3300 on Friday, despite firmer-than-expected UK Retail Sales. The pair is weighed down by a renewed buying interest in the Greenback, bolstered by fresh headlines suggesting a softening in the rhetoric surrounding the US-China trade conflict.
Gold remains offered below $3,300
Gold reversed Thursday’s rebound and slipped toward the $3,260 area per troy ounce at the end of the week in response to further improvement in the market sentiment, which was in turn underpinned by hopes of positive developments around the US-China trade crisis.
Ethereum: Accumulation addresses grab 1.11 million ETH as bullish momentum rises
Ethereum saw a 1% decline on Friday as sellers dominated exchange activity in the past 24 hours. Despite the recent selling, increased inflows into accumulation addresses and declining net taker volume show a gradual return of bullish momentum.
Week ahead: US GDP, inflation and jobs in focus amid tariff mess – BoJ meets
Barrage of US data to shed light on US economy as tariff war heats up. GDP, PCE inflation and nonfarm payrolls reports to headline the week. Bank of Japan to hold rates but may downgrade growth outlook. Eurozone and Australian CPI also on the agenda, Canadians go to the polls.
The Best brokers to trade EUR/USD
SPONSORED Discover the top brokers for trading EUR/USD in 2025. Our list features brokers with competitive spreads, fast execution, and powerful platforms. Whether you're a beginner or an expert, find the right partner to navigate the dynamic Forex market.