USD/CHF CLIMBS TO NEAR 0.8850 AHEAD OF US CONSUMER SENTIMENT

• USD/CAD strengthens as market sentiment suggests the Fed could prolong higher interest rates.
• The uptrend in US Treasury yields has bolstered the US Dollar.
• SNB’s Jordan has voiced concerns that the CHF has an adverse impact on Swiss businesses.

USD/CHF appreciates for the third consecutive day on Friday, advancing to around 0.8850 during the Asian trading hours. The strong Producer Price Index (PPI) data from the United States (US), has contributed to the strength of the USD/CHF pair.

Furthermore, the US Dollar Index (DXY) benefits from the hawkish sentiment surrounding the US Federal Reserve, contemplating maintaining its higher interest rates in response to persistent inflationary pressures. Additionally, US Treasury yields have risen for the past four consecutive sessions, lending further support to the US Dollar (USD), consequently, underpinning the USD/CHF pair.

The US Core Producer Price Index (PPI) remained stable with a 2.0% year-over-year increase in February, surpassing the expected 1.9%. The US PPI (YoY) recorded a 1.6% increase, exceeding both the anticipated 1.1% and the previous 1.0%. Furthermore, the Retail Sales Control Group showed improvement, reaching a flat 0.0% compared to the previous decline of 0.3%.

These recent economic indicators complicate the Federal Reserve's decision-making process regarding interest rate cuts. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, the likelihood of a rate cut in March currently stands at only 1.0%, dropping to 7.7% for May. The probabilities for rate cuts in June and July are relatively lower, at 59.0% and 79.4%, respectively.

In Switzerland, Producer and Import Prices decreased by 2.0% year-on-year in February 2024, showing a slight improvement from the previous month's 2.3% decline, which marked the sharpest drop since December 2020. This decline marks the tenth consecutive period of decrease. Monthly, prices increased by 0.1%, rebounding from a 0.5% fall in the previous month.

The Swiss Franc (CHF) faces challenges as the Swiss National Bank (SNB) adjusts its policy stance, no longer prioritizing a strong domestic currency. SNB Chairman Thomas Jordan has expressed concerns about the Swiss Franc's excessive strength, particularly its impact on Swiss businesses, especially exporters. These concerns are reflected in data from Switzerland's Foreign Exchange Reserves (CHFER), which show a recovery in Forex reserves.