USD/CHF struggles near 0.8650 as Middle East tensions boost safe-haven demand
- USD/CHF trades with mild negative bias around 0.8655 in Friday’s early European session.
- Stronger US Retail Sales reinforce bets that the Fed will pursue modest rate cuts next year, which might support the USD.
- Any signs of escalating Middle East geopolitical tensions might boost the CHF and cap the pair’s upside.
The USD/CHF pair trades with mild losses near 0.8655 during the early European session on Friday. The increasing bets that the US Federal Reserve (Fed) would cut rates less aggressively might cap the downside for the pair in the near term. Traders will take more cues from the US housing data and Fedspeak later on Friday.
Rising demand for the USD in the backdrop of waning expectations of outsized Fed rate cuts and encouraging US economic data might support the pair. The US Census Bureau revealed on Thursday that US Retail Sales climbed by 0.4% MoM in September versus a 0.1% rise in August, above the market consensus of 0.3%. Additionally, the US Initial Jobless Claims for the week ending October 11 increased to 241,000. The figure came in below the consensus and the previous week's of 260,000 (revised from 258,000).
Meanwhile, the US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the greenback against six major rivals, currently trades near the highest level since August 2 around 103.65.
Goldman Sachs analysts said on Wednesday that they expect the Fed to cut consecutive 25 basis points (bps) from November 2024 through June 2025 as fears of a potential US recession ease, per the Economic Times. According to the CME Fed Watch Tool, money markets are now pricing a 90.3% probability of a 25bps rate reduction next month.
On the Swiss front, the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the uncertainty surrounding the global economy might boost the safe-haven flows, benefiting the Swiss Franc (CHF). Israel claimed its forces assassinated Hamas commander Yahya Sinwar in the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Sinwar's killing as "the beginning of the day after Hamas." He said that Israel would continue fighting Hamas in Gaza until all hostages are returned home, per CNN.
Swiss Franc FAQs
The Swiss Franc (CHF) is Switzerland’s official currency. It is among the top ten most traded currencies globally, reaching volumes that well exceed the size of the Swiss economy. Its value is determined by the broad market sentiment, the country’s economic health or action taken by the Swiss National Bank (SNB), among other factors. Between 2011 and 2015, the Swiss Franc was pegged to the Euro (EUR). The peg was abruptly removed, resulting in a more than 20% increase in the Franc’s value, causing a turmoil in markets. Even though the peg isn’t in force anymore, CHF fortunes tend to be highly correlated with the Euro ones due to the high dependency of the Swiss economy on the neighboring Eurozone.
The Swiss Franc (CHF) is considered a safe-haven asset, or a currency that investors tend to buy in times of market stress. This is due to the perceived status of Switzerland in the world: a stable economy, a strong export sector, big central bank reserves or a longstanding political stance towards neutrality in global conflicts make the country’s currency a good choice for investors fleeing from risks. Turbulent times are likely to strengthen CHF value against other currencies that are seen as more risky to invest in.
The Swiss National Bank (SNB) meets four times a year – once every quarter, less than other major central banks – to decide on monetary policy. The bank aims for an annual inflation rate of less than 2%. When inflation is above target or forecasted to be above target in the foreseeable future, the bank will attempt to tame price growth by raising its policy rate. Higher interest rates are generally positive for the Swiss Franc (CHF) as they lead to higher yields, making the country a more attractive place for investors. On the contrary, lower interest rates tend to weaken CHF.
Macroeconomic data releases in Switzerland are key to assessing the state of the economy and can impact the Swiss Franc’s (CHF) valuation. The Swiss economy is broadly stable, but any sudden change in economic growth, inflation, current account or the central bank’s currency reserves have the potential to trigger moves in CHF. Generally, high economic growth, low unemployment and high confidence are good for CHF. Conversely, if economic data points to weakening momentum, CHF is likely to depreciate.
As a small and open economy, Switzerland is heavily dependent on the health of the neighboring Eurozone economies. The broader European Union is Switzerland’s main economic partner and a key political ally, so macroeconomic and monetary policy stability in the Eurozone is essential for Switzerland and, thus, for the Swiss Franc (CHF). With such dependency, some models suggest that the correlation between the fortunes of the Euro (EUR) and the CHF is more than 90%, or close to perfect.
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