USD/CHF rises toward 0.7950 as FOMC Minutes signal pause in rate cuts

USD/CHF appreciates as the US Dollar receives support from FOMC Minutes signaling a pause in rate cuts.
CME FedWatch shows an 85.1% chance of rates staying unchanged in January, up from 83.4% earlier.
Swiss KOF Economic Indicator rose 1.7 points to 103.4 in December, beating expectations and hitting a September 2024 high.

Akhtar Faruqui FXStreet

USD/CHF extends its winning streak for the fourth consecutive day, trading around 0.7930 during the early European hours on Wednesday. The pair appreciates as the US Dollar continues to gain ground after the release of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) December Meeting Minutes on Tuesday.

FOMC Minutes indicated a deeply divided committee, with most participants judging that it would likely be appropriate to stand on further rate cuts if inflation declined over time. Meanwhile, some Fed officials said it might be best to leave rates unchanged for a while after the committee made three rate reductions this year to support the weakening labor market.

The CME FedWatch tool shows an 85.1% probability of rates being held at the Fed’s January meeting, up from 83.4% a day earlier. Meanwhile, the likelihood of a 25-basis-point rate cut has fallen to 14.9% from 16.6% a day ago.

The US Dollar may lose ground amid expectations of two additional Federal Reserve rate cuts in 2026, along with concerns over fiscal deficits and the Fed’s independence. Traders are also closely watching the appointment of a new Fed Chair, with Trump expected to name Jerome Powell’s successor early next year.

Switzerland’s KOF Economic Indicator increased by 1.7 points to 103.4 in December, marking its highest reading since September 2024 and surpassing market expectations of 101.4. The improvement is most pronounced on the production side, where manufacturing-related indicator bundles point to a more favorable outlook.

The safe-haven demand for the Swiss franc (CHF) could rise amid heightened geopolitical tensions, driven by uncertainty over a potential Russia–Ukraine peace deal, renewed tensions in the Middle East, and frictions between the US and Venezuela.

Swiss Franc FAQs

What key factors drive the Swiss Franc?

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.

Why is the Swiss Franc considered a safe-haven currency?

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.

How do decisions of the Swiss National Bank impact the Swiss Franc?

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.

How does economic data influence the value of the Swiss Franc?

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.

How does the Eurozone monetary policy affect the Swiss Franc?

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.

Author

Akhtar Faruqui

FXStreet

Akhtar Faruqui is a Forex Analyst based in New Delhi, India. With a keen eye for market trends and a passion for dissecting complex financial dynamics, he is dedicated to delivering accurate and insightful Forex news and analysis.

GBP/USD keeps the firm tone above 1.3600

GBP/USD clings to its daily gains, although it gives back some of them and recedes toward the 1.3630-1.3620 band on Thursday. Cable’s uptick comes despite the modest bounce in the Greenback, while investors gear up for key data releases on the UK calendar on Friday.

EUR/USD treads water near 1.1670

EUR/USD gives away all its initial gains and receded to the sub-1.1700 region. The US Dollar’s late recovery has dragged the pair lower, leaving it practically unchanged following the NA session on Thursday. In the meantime, investors gear up for the release of preliminary S&P Global Manufacturing and Services PMIs on both sides of the Atlantic on Friday.

Gold trims losses, back above $4,500

Gold manages to regain some composure and reclaim the area beyond the key $4,500 mark per troy ounce on Thursday. The yellow metal’s daily decline comes amid the humble improvement in the US Dollar while US Treasury yields remain on the rise following Wednesday’s marked retracement across the curve.

XRP extends rally as bullish technical signals underpin breakout attempt

Ripple holds in bullish hands, as price action extends above $1.16 at the time of writing on Thursday. Since Monday, the cross-border remittance token has surged by more than 20%, reflecting a steady growth in risk-on sentiment. The broader crypto market sentiment is on an upward roll at 62 in the Greed territory on Thursday, up from 46 the previous day, according to the Fear & Greed Index.

Why long bonds have repriced the cost of money

The 30-year Treasury is 12 basis points below its highest level since before the financial crisis. Not its highest since 2023, or since the tightening cycle, but since June 12, 2007, the last time the longest bond in the world's deepest market yielded what it yields on Thursday. Getting there took two attempts and most of the year.

$20 billion offered, $2 billion taken: Why Treasury doubled its buyback cap

The US Treasury moved off its own calendar on Wednesday, and that is the part worth sitting with. At 12:32 GMT, the department said it would at least double the size of liquidity support buyback operations in the 10-year to 20-year and 20-year to 30-year sectors, lifting the maximum from $2 billion per operation to at least $4 billion, effective September 9 and running to November 4.