USD/CHF slumps to weakest level since September 2011 below 0.8200
- USD/CHF trades at a fresh multi-year low below 0.8200 on Friday.
- The Swiss Franc continues to capitalize on safe-haven flows.
- The US Dollar remains under intense selling pressure on deepening US-China trade conflict.
After losing nearly 4% on the day on Thursday, USD/CHF continues to push lower on Friday and trades at its weakest level since September 2011 at around 0.8150.
Swiss Franc PRICE Today
The table below shows the percentage change of Swiss Franc (CHF) against listed major currencies today. Swiss Franc was the strongest against the Australian Dollar.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | -1.79% | -0.94% | -1.33% | -0.61% | 0.03% | -1.30% | -0.90% | |
| EUR | 1.79% | 0.83% | 0.42% | 1.17% | 1.84% | 0.47% | 0.89% | |
| GBP | 0.94% | -0.83% | -0.39% | 0.36% | 1.00% | -0.37% | 0.05% | |
| JPY | 1.33% | -0.42% | 0.39% | 0.70% | 1.38% | 0.08% | 0.49% | |
| CAD | 0.61% | -1.17% | -0.36% | -0.70% | 0.64% | -0.69% | -0.29% | |
| AUD | -0.03% | -1.84% | -1.00% | -1.38% | -0.64% | -1.34% | -0.92% | |
| NZD | 1.30% | -0.47% | 0.37% | -0.08% | 0.69% | 1.34% | 0.40% | |
| CHF | 0.90% | -0.89% | -0.05% | -0.49% | 0.29% | 0.92% | -0.40% |
The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the Swiss Franc from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the US Dollar, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent CHF (base)/USD (quote).
Swiss Franc gathers strength on risk-aversion
The selling pressure surrounding the US Dollar (USD) intensifies in the European session after China announced that they will raise additional tariffs on US imports from 84% to 125% from April 12. Reflecting the broad-based USD weakness, the USD Index was last seen losing 1.3% on the day at 99.55.
Following Thursday's sharp appreciation of the Swiss Franc, a spokesperson for the Swiss National Bank refrained from commenting on exchange rates.
In the meantime, US stock index futures lose about 0.5% on the day after having gained more than 1% earlier in the session, confirming the negative shift seen in risk mood.
In the second half of the day, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics will release the Producer Price Index (PPI) data for March. Additionally, the University of Michigan will publish the preliminary Consumer Sentiment Index data for April.
Investors will also pay close attention to headlines surrounding the US-China trade war.
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.
Author
Eren Sengezer
FXStreet
As an economist at heart, Eren Sengezer specializes in the assessment of the short-term and long-term impacts of macroeconomic data, central bank policies and political developments on financial assets.
