|

USD/CHF trades near two-week high amid Fed caution, SNB dovishness

  • USD/CHF holds around 0.8030, near a two-week high, supported by a stronger US Dollar.
  • Jerome Powell tempers expectations of further interest rate cuts, pushing US Treasury yields higher.
  • The Swiss National Bank maintains an expansive policy and remains ready to intervene if needed.

USD/CHF trades slightly higher on Friday, up 0.15% for the day at 0.8030 at the time of writing, extending its advance near a two-week high at 0.8037. The US Dollar (USD) remains firm after the Federal Reserve (Fed) cut interest rates while adopting a more cautious tone regarding the future path of monetary policy.

On Wednesday, the Fed lowered the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to a range of 3.75%-4.00%, in line with expectations. However, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said that another rate cut in December “is not a foregone conclusion, far from it,” cooling expectations for further easing. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note has surged to 4.10%, its highest level in three weeks, lending additional support to the Greenback.

At the same time, the prospect of a renewed trade truce between the United States and China has also supported the USD. US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed on a one-year ceasefire that includes lower US tariffs and China’s commitment to resume purchases of US agricultural goods. This development has helped sustain the US Dollar’s upward momentum.

On the Swiss side, remarks from Swiss National Bank (SNB) Governing Board Member Petra Tschudin weighed on the Swiss Franc (CHF). Tschudin reaffirmed that monetary policy remains “expansive” and that the SNB stands ready to intervene in the foreign exchange market if necessary, even reintroducing negative interest rates if required. She emphasized that the level of the Franc itself is less important than its effect on inflation, which remains within the range of price stability.

In this context, the combination of a cautious Federal Reserve and a persistently dovish SNB keeps the USD/CHF bias tilted to the upside, as traders await speeches from Fed officials later in the day to refine their expectations ahead of the December meeting.

US Dollar Price Today

The table below shows the percentage change of US Dollar (USD) against listed major currencies today. US Dollar was the strongest against the New Zealand Dollar.

USDEURGBPJPYCADAUDNZDCHF
USD-0.01%0.19%0.00%0.19%0.20%0.34%0.17%
EUR0.00%0.19%0.02%0.19%0.21%0.34%0.17%
GBP-0.19%-0.19%-0.20%0.00%0.02%0.15%-0.03%
JPY0.00%-0.02%0.20%0.17%0.19%0.32%0.14%
CAD-0.19%-0.19%-0.00%-0.17%0.00%0.15%-0.02%
AUD-0.20%-0.21%-0.02%-0.19%-0.00%0.14%-0.03%
NZD-0.34%-0.34%-0.15%-0.32%-0.15%-0.14%-0.18%
CHF-0.17%-0.17%0.03%-0.14%0.02%0.03%0.18%

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 US Dollar from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the Japanese Yen, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent USD (base)/JPY (quote).

Author

Ghiles Guezout

Ghiles Guezout is a Market Analyst with a strong background in stock market investments, trading, and cryptocurrencies. He combines fundamental and technical analysis skills to identify market opportunities.

More from Ghiles Guezout
Share:

Editor's Picks

EUR/USD trims gains, back below 1.1800

EUR/USD now loses some upside momentum, returning to the area below the 1.1800 support as the Greenback manages to regain some composure following the SCOTUS-led pullback earlier in the session.

GBP/USD off highs, recedes to the sub-1.3500 area

Following earlier highs north of 1.3500 the figure, GBP/USD now faces some renewed downside pressure, revisiting the 1.3490 zone as the US Dollar manages to regain some upside impulse in the latter part of the NA session on Friday.

Gold climbs to weekly tops, approaches $5,100/oz

Gold keeps the bid tone well in place at the end of the week, now hitting fresh weekly highs and retargeting the key $5,100 mark per troy ounce. The move higher in the yellow metal comes in response to ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and modest losses in the US Dollar.

Crypto Today: Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP rebound as risk appetite improves

Bitcoin rises marginally, nearing the immediate resistance of $68,000 at the time of writing on Friday. Major altcoins, including Ethereum and Ripple, hold key support levels as bulls aim to maintain marginal intraday gains.

Week ahead – Markets brace for heightened volatility as event risk dominates

Dollar strength dominates markets as risk appetite remains subdued. A Supreme Court ruling, geopolitics and Fed developments are in focus. Pivotal Nvidia earnings on Wednesday as investors question tech sector weakness.

Ripple bulls defend key support amid waning retail demand and ETF inflows

XRP ticks up above $1.40 support, but waning retail demand suggests caution. XRP attracts $4 million in spot ETF inflows on Thursday, signaling renewed institutional investor interest.