New Zealand Dollar (NZD): Aggressive Easing Undermines Currency
Reserve Bank of New Zealand Actions
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand shocked markets on October 7 with an aggressive 50 basis point rate cut to 2.50%, the lowest level since July 2022. This represented a departure from the 25-50 basis point split that markets had priced, with the RBNZ citing the need to "restore confidence in an economic recovery that has lost momentum". Since August 2024, the central bank has slashed rates by a total of 300 basis points.
Markets now fully price in another 25 basis point cut at the November 26 meeting, with expectations for rates to decline to 2.0% by 2026. BNZ's Markets Outlook suggests the terminal OCR for this cycle may be 2.50%, though downside risks remain if the economy continues to disappoint.
Economic Weakness
New Zealand's economy contracted 0.9% in the second quarter, though the RBNZ's nowcast suggests a 0.7% rebound in Q3. However, this reported contraction may overstate economic weakness when considering the positive impact of terms of trade, as evidenced by real gross national disposable income showing 0.9% quarterly expansion and 2.2% annual growth. Nonetheless, the recovery remains subdued, and the trade-weighted index has declined to its lowest level since the April market volatility, sitting below the RBNZ's August projections.
November Outlook: Very Bearish
The New Zealand Dollar faces the most challenging outlook among major currencies. NZD/USD fell to $0.575 following the October RBNZ cut, hitting its lowest level since April. The currency recovered modestly to around 0.5780 by late October, but analysts warn of downside risks with key support at 0.5750 and potentially 0.56 below that. Against the Australian Dollar, NZD/AUD dropped to a three-year low of 0.8758, with further weakness expected given the diverging monetary policy paths. The aggressive RBNZ easing, weak economic fundamentals, and deteriorating terms of trade create a perfect storm for kiwi weakness in November.
Swiss Franc (CHF): Safe Haven Supremacy Despite Zero Rates
Swiss National Bank Policy
The Swiss National Bank has maintained its policy rate at 0.00% and shows no inclination to move into negative territory despite franc strength. At its September meeting, the SNB notably refrained from describing the franc as "highly valued" or expressing concern over its appreciation—a significant shift in communication. This suggests the SNB has become more comfortable with franc strength, particularly as Switzerland's real exchange rate remains relatively stable due to low domestic inflation of just 0.2%.
Economic Environment
Switzerland's economy is projected to grow 1.5% in 2025 and 1.0% in 2026, with inflation expected to remain subdued at 0.2% in 2025 and 0.5% in 2026. The SNB characterized current policy settings as "appropriately expansionary" despite the 0% rate, and expressed confidence that inflation will remain within the 0-2% target range. Risks to the outlook are tilted to the downside, with weaker growth prospects potentially limiting any hawkish policy adjustments.
November Outlook: Bullish
The Swiss franc's safe-haven status provides strong support in November's uncertain environment. EUR/CHF has been trading around 0.92-0.93, and analysts expect the pair to gradually appreciate toward 0.96 over the next 12 months, implying modest franc weakness against the euro. However, against the dollar, the franc is expected to strengthen significantly, with USD/CHF forecasts suggesting 0.77 within a year, with downside risks toward 0.75 or even 0.73. The franc's outperformance has persisted despite substantial interest rate differentials, demonstrating the power of safe-haven flows in the current geopolitical environment.
Verdict
The combination of moderate Swiss economic resilience with historically low SNB rates and heightened global uncertainty supports CHF strength. Meanwhile, the New Zealand economy’s slow but steady recovery and RBNZ easing limit NZD upside. NZD/CHF is thus a SELL in November.
Reserve Bank of New Zealand Actions
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand shocked markets on October 7 with an aggressive 50 basis point rate cut to 2.50%, the lowest level since July 2022. This represented a departure from the 25-50 basis point split that markets had priced, with the RBNZ citing the need to "restore confidence in an economic recovery that has lost momentum". Since August 2024, the central bank has slashed rates by a total of 300 basis points.
Markets now fully price in another 25 basis point cut at the November 26 meeting, with expectations for rates to decline to 2.0% by 2026. BNZ's Markets Outlook suggests the terminal OCR for this cycle may be 2.50%, though downside risks remain if the economy continues to disappoint.
Economic Weakness
New Zealand's economy contracted 0.9% in the second quarter, though the RBNZ's nowcast suggests a 0.7% rebound in Q3. However, this reported contraction may overstate economic weakness when considering the positive impact of terms of trade, as evidenced by real gross national disposable income showing 0.9% quarterly expansion and 2.2% annual growth. Nonetheless, the recovery remains subdued, and the trade-weighted index has declined to its lowest level since the April market volatility, sitting below the RBNZ's August projections.
November Outlook: Very Bearish
The New Zealand Dollar faces the most challenging outlook among major currencies. NZD/USD fell to $0.575 following the October RBNZ cut, hitting its lowest level since April. The currency recovered modestly to around 0.5780 by late October, but analysts warn of downside risks with key support at 0.5750 and potentially 0.56 below that. Against the Australian Dollar, NZD/AUD dropped to a three-year low of 0.8758, with further weakness expected given the diverging monetary policy paths. The aggressive RBNZ easing, weak economic fundamentals, and deteriorating terms of trade create a perfect storm for kiwi weakness in November.
Swiss Franc (CHF): Safe Haven Supremacy Despite Zero Rates
Swiss National Bank Policy
The Swiss National Bank has maintained its policy rate at 0.00% and shows no inclination to move into negative territory despite franc strength. At its September meeting, the SNB notably refrained from describing the franc as "highly valued" or expressing concern over its appreciation—a significant shift in communication. This suggests the SNB has become more comfortable with franc strength, particularly as Switzerland's real exchange rate remains relatively stable due to low domestic inflation of just 0.2%.
Economic Environment
Switzerland's economy is projected to grow 1.5% in 2025 and 1.0% in 2026, with inflation expected to remain subdued at 0.2% in 2025 and 0.5% in 2026. The SNB characterized current policy settings as "appropriately expansionary" despite the 0% rate, and expressed confidence that inflation will remain within the 0-2% target range. Risks to the outlook are tilted to the downside, with weaker growth prospects potentially limiting any hawkish policy adjustments.
November Outlook: Bullish
The Swiss franc's safe-haven status provides strong support in November's uncertain environment. EUR/CHF has been trading around 0.92-0.93, and analysts expect the pair to gradually appreciate toward 0.96 over the next 12 months, implying modest franc weakness against the euro. However, against the dollar, the franc is expected to strengthen significantly, with USD/CHF forecasts suggesting 0.77 within a year, with downside risks toward 0.75 or even 0.73. The franc's outperformance has persisted despite substantial interest rate differentials, demonstrating the power of safe-haven flows in the current geopolitical environment.
Verdict
The combination of moderate Swiss economic resilience with historically low SNB rates and heightened global uncertainty supports CHF strength. Meanwhile, the New Zealand economy’s slow but steady recovery and RBNZ easing limit NZD upside. NZD/CHF is thus a SELL in November.
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Disclaimer
The information and publications are not meant to be, and do not constitute, financial, investment, trading, or other types of advice or recommendations supplied or endorsed by TradingView. Read more in the Terms of Use.
The trading bot I use: halcyonfx.co/
Disclaimer
The information and publications are not meant to be, and do not constitute, financial, investment, trading, or other types of advice or recommendations supplied or endorsed by TradingView. Read more in the Terms of Use.