USD/CHF downtrend pauses for breath ahead of SNBThere is quite a bit of uncertainty with today's SNB rate decision, over whether they'll cut or hold. And that has seen the 1--day implied volatility level more than double its 20-day average. The market is clearly in a downtrend on the daily chart, having broken key support on Tuesday.
Prices are now consolidating above the weekly S1 pivot on the hourly chart. If the SNB do cut and spark a rebound on USD/CHF, the preference is to step aside and seek evidence of a swing high. This is because we now know the SNB no longer want a weaker currency, so any upshot today is likely to be temporary. And this scenario would be preferred as it allows for an improved reward to risk ratio.
However, as the decline of the inflation rate rate is slowing, growth was stronger than expected and the SNB do not want a weaker currency, a hold seems more likely. In which case, a move towards 0.88 is on the cards near the high-volume node of the prior uptrend and the lower 1-day implied volatility band.
Snb
USD/CHF – flat ahead of SNB rate decisionThe Swiss franc is almost unchanged on Wednesday. USD/CHF is trading at 0.8838 in the North American session, down 0.04% on the day.
Switzerland’s central bank will announce its rate decision on Thursday and the markets are on edge. Will the Swiss National Bank lower rates or hold? The SNB last met in March and that meeting was memorable, as policy makers shocked the markets with a quarter-point cut, bringing the cash rate to 1.50%. Investors had expected the SNB to continue to maintain rates at the March 21st meeting, but the SNB decided to respond to declines in inflation and growth and became the first major central bank to lower rates this year.
The Swiss franc took a bath and fell 1.2% against the US dollar the day of the March meeting, its second-to-worst daily performance this year. The Swissie proceeded to lose more ground in the following weeks but has recovered almost completely.
Economists are split 50/50 on whether the SNB will cut on Thursday, while the money markets have cut expectations of a rate cut to 60%, compared to 80% just one month ago. The ultra-cautious SNB has been mum, with no public comments from Bank policy makers over the past three weeks, which has only intensified the suspense.
Inflation has been steady in the upper half of the SNB’s target range of 0% to 2% and Swiss growth has been steady, which would support the case to hold rates. On the other hand, exports have been weak and the Swiss franc has appreciated 3.3% against the US dollar since May 30th. A rate cut by the SNB could weigh on the Swiss franc and make Swiss exports more attractive on world markets.
The uncertainty ahead of the SNB meeting makes this a live meeting and could translate into volatility from the Swiss franc on Thursday.
There is support at 0.8809 and 0.8777
0.8860 and 0.8892 are the next resistance lines
Swiss franc climbing, eyes Swiss inflationSwiss franc has extended its gains on Monday. USD/CHF is trading at 0.8961 in the North American session, down 0.68%.
The Swiss franc posted its strong weekly gain of the year last week, rising 1.35%. The Swissie jumped over 1% on Thursday after Swiss National Bank President Jordan hinted that the central bank could intervene in the currency markets in order to keep a lid on inflation.
Thomas’ comments gave a boost to the Swiss currency, which has sagged in 2024. Even with last week’s strong gains, however, the Swiss franc has plunged 7.1% against the US dollar. The Swiss franc weakened after the Swiss National Bank unexpectedly lowered interest rates in March. A weaker Swiss franc helped make Swiss exports more competitive on world markets, but the currency’s sharp descent may have become too much of a good thing, as it is feeding inflation and raising concerns at the central bank.
The Swiss franc’s downswing has had a strong impact on market expectations for a rate cut at the June 28th meeting. In early May, swap markets priced a 66% probability of a rate cut, which has fallen to around 40%. The SNB isn’t likely to make good on Jordan's threat to buy Swiss francs unless the currency continues to show a sharp depreciation, but last week’s jump shows how comments from central bankers can cause sharp swings in the currency markets.
Switzerland releases May CPI on Tuesday. This is the final economic release prior to the central bank’s rate meeting and could be a major factor in the SNB’s rate decision. Swiss CPI is expected to tick up to 0.4% m/m in May, compared to 0.3% in April.
USD/CHF is testing support 0.8966. Below, there is support at 0.8909
0.9061 and 0.9118 are the next resistance lines
Last Leg (Update) - USDCHF Year So FarHey everyone!!
Here I talk about USDCHF and give a little update on my Trade Idea "Last Leg To The Finish Line"
Since it went over so well and continuing to follow suit, I wanted to do a Video Update on the idea to give a little insight on what I was seeing as the pair unfolded for the year and what I'm looking for in the near future!!
Please let me know what you think and thank you so much for all the Support!!
.. It all started with a little Double Bottom on the Hourly Chart
2nd try betting on policy divergencies Fundamentals
This is the second attempt to take advantage of the medium-term expected strength in AUD and dovish stance of SNB.
The weak home sales data from the US can be a trigger for further risk-on upside momentum.
Technical & Other
Setup: S(B)
Setup timeframe: 1h
Trigger: 1h
Risk: 0.26%
Entry: buy stop
When policies and triggers divergeFundamentals & Sentiment
The outlooks of SNB and RBA go in opposite directions, with SNB staying one of the most regulators and RBA not considering cutting rates until August.
On the triggers side, we've got strong employment data from Australia today. From the other side, the SNB has cut the interest rate, while the market expected Hold with 63% odds.
Finally, CFTC data shows AUD being stretched to the downside which is another reason to buy AUD.
Technical & Other
Setup: S(B)
Setup timeframe: D
Trigger: 1h
Medium term: Up
Long-term: Up
Min target: Rectangle height, June 2023 highs
Risk: 0.79%
USD/CHF H4 | Potential bullish bounceUSD/CHF could fall towards a pullback support and potentially bounce off this level to climb higher.
Buy entry is at 0.89483 which is a pullback support.
Stop loss is at 0.89076 which is a pullback support that lies underneath the 50.0% Fibonacci retracement level.
Take profit is at 0.90296 which is a level that aligns with the 100.0% Fibonacci projection level.
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Swiss franc slides after SNB lowers ratesThe Swiss franc has tumbled on Thursday after the Swiss National Bank lowered interest rates. In the North American session, USD/CHF is trading at 0.8987, up 1.35% on the day. Earlier, the Swiss franc fell as low as 0.8994, its lowest level since November 23.
There has been plenty of speculation as to when the Fed and other major central banks will lower interest rates, but in the end the Swiss National Bank that took the plunge first, with a quarter-point cut on Thursday. The move was a surprise as investors hadn’t expected the SNB to cut rates until June at the earliest.
The SNB lowered the cash rate from 1.75% to 1.50%, sending the Swiss franc sharply lower. SNB President Thomas Jordan said after the meeting that the rate cut was in response to an “effective” battle against inflation. Inflation has been falling and is currently at 1.2%.
The central bank also revised lower its inflation forecast to 1.4% in 2024 and 1.2% in 2025. The SNB also noted that the appreciation of the Swiss franc had dampened growth. We could add that the strong Swiss franc has also dampened inflation and allowed the SNB to shift policy and start lowering rates.
The Federal Reserve held the benchmark rate at a target range of 5% to 5.25% on Wednesday, as was widely expected. The Fed maintained its projection of three rate cuts this year and revised its GDP forecast for 2024 to 2.1%, up from 1.4% in December.
Fed Chair Powell noted that inflation was falling and the US economy was strong, but cautioned that the Fed would not start to cut rates until it was clear that inflation was moving sustainably towards the 2% target. The markets have priced in an initial rate cut for June, with a probability of around 75%.
USD/CHF has pushed above 0.8918 and tested resistance at 0.8982 earlier. Above, there is resistance at 0.9095
0.8876 and 0.8812 are providing support
Analysis of RBA, BOJ, FOMC, SNB, BOE and the week aheadWeek of the 18th March (H4)
DXY: Stay below 50% (103.70) to maintain bearish view, could trade down to 102.40 support
NZDUSD: Buy 0.61 SL 30 TP 100
AUDUSD: Buy 0.6580 SL 40 TP 80 (Tuesday: RBA Decision)
USDJPY: Riskier: Sell 148.50 SL 80 TP 200 (Tuesday: BOJ Policy Decision)
GBPUSD: Buy 1.2760 SL 50 TP 100 (Thursday:BOE Voting)
EURUSD: Sell 1.0860 SL 30 TP 60 (If DXY strengthens)
USDCHF: Sell 0.8860 SL 35 TP 105 (Thursday: SNB decision)
USDCAD: Buy 1.3455 SL 30 TP 13 (Tuesday: CPI data)
Gold: Bounce off 2150 to retest high of 2200
CHFJPY: Is the high in?Starting to see Yen strength materialise, with the BoJ looking to get out of the current cycle.
Surely Yen can't go much lower against all of the G10, so expecting some moves in the coming week.
We've been failing at the 171.8 high for weeks so this looks like consolidation to me now, ready for a push down.
Starting this week with the CHF PCI data this Tuesday, expecting to start seeing signs of cuts from the SNB so this could be a cross that moves.
AUDCHF: Will the SNB signal cuts?Of all the National Banks, analysts are expecting the SNB to be one of the first to cut, the CPI this week on Tuesday could indicate a cut is coming.
Looking at price action on this pair, we've broken out of the downward channel, albeit we've struggled ton break resistance, but equally we've retested the channel boundary multiple times and so far failed to break it, so this looks like we're in the region of a medium term reversal.
I'm looking for Buy entries on this pair, we need to break 0.58 to confirm the reversal, but I think there's longs to be had with LTF confirmations.
USDCHF Breakout and Potential RetraceHey Traders, in today's trading session we are monitoring USDCHF for a buying opportunity around 0.88100 zone, USDCHF was trading in a downtrend and successfully managed to break it out. Currently is in a correction phase in which it is approaching the retrace area at 0.88100 support and resistance area.
Adding a fundamental layer there is a contradictory between the inflation in the US and in Switzerland, Fed is concerned about the inflationary pressure and heading towards a rate hike meanwhile it's easing in Switzerland.
Trade safe, Joe.
EURCHF Technical Trends and SNB Policy DynamicsLooking ahead to the upcoming week, our strategic focus centers on EURCHF, as we actively evaluate a potential buying opportunity within the 0.94600 zone. The technical analysis reveals that EURCHF has been consistently advancing in an uptrend, showcasing a noteworthy upward trajectory. Currently, the currency pair is in the midst of a correction phase, steadily approaching the critical 0.94600 support and resistance area.
Adding a numerical dimension to our assessment, let's consider the recent policy decisions by the Swiss National Bank (SNB) from December 15, 2022, to the most recent update on September 21, 2023. The SNB initiated a significant shift by setting the interest rate at -0.25% on September 22, 2022, and has since made subsequent adjustments. The recent decision last Thursday, on September 21, 2023, reflects the SNB's choice to maintain interest rates unchanged, citing a backdrop of easing inflation.
This dovish stance by the SNB not only aligns with the technical analysis pointing towards a correction in EURCHF but also sets the stage for a potential continuation of CHF weakness. The confluence of technical indicators, recent policy decisions, and numerical data heightens our interest in monitoring EURCHF for a buying opportunity. As we progress through the upcoming week, our strategic approach is to navigate and capitalize on the evolving market dynamics, leveraging the identified buying potential within the specified numerical zone.
AUDCHF: Fakeout or Breakout?We can see we've just broken out of my channel top after a strong bullish move, but this isn't the first time and we're hitting strong resistance.
Swissie has been weak of late, unlike the Aussie, so I believe this can go either way. I'll be looking at longs around 0.589 if resistance is broken, but we may well fall back first. If we fall back below 0.578 then I'll be waiting for the triple bottom around 0.561 before looking to go long.
Obviously this could all be a fakeout and we'll be back in the channel, but I do think it's risky shorting down hear unless it's for a quick scalp as it definitely looks like a good double bottom is already in play.
Both of these currencies are gold dependent for different reasons (Aussie exporting it, Swissie holding it), and Aussie is doing well because gold is.
I'm expecting a c0ontinuation of gold strength as per my recent idea, so probably expecting this pair could keep flying?
Final Target yet to be run on CHFJPYThis inverse Head and shoulders has produced fantastic gains already
What suggests that final target will be met
is that Yen vs other crosses is still yet trigger their respective necklines!
I assume more madness to come from the #BOJ in the next Financial Panic.
Like the Bank of England another Island nation probably first to embark on a new wave of #QuantitativeEasing
Swiss franc higher as markets eye US jobs reportThe Swiss franc has moved higher on Thursday and is trading at 0.9068 in the North American session, down 0.41%. On Wednesday, the Swiss franc fell as low as 0.9147, its lowest level in two months.
The Swiss National Bank meets on June 22nd and SNB President Jordan had a warning today for the markets. Jordan said that the central bank would not allow inflation to become entrenched, adding that if core inflation remained above 2% for too long, it would be difficult to bring it back down below 2%.
Inflation remains above the Bank's 0-2% target, and Jordan has repeatedly warned that the Bank could continue tightening rates to curb inflation. The Bank is expected to raise rates by 25 basis points at the June meeting, which would bring the cash rate to 1.75%.
The Federal Reserve meets on June 14th and members appear divided as to what action the Fed will take. Fed member Mester supports another rate hike and said on Wednesday that she did not see a “compelling reason to pause”, saying there was a more compelling case to 'hike and hold' rates. On the opposite side, members Jefferson and Harker said on Wednesday that they supported a pause in June and making future rate decisions based on the data. Jefferson warned that the effects of tightening had not been fully processed by the economy and higher rates could increase stress on the banking sector.
The markets had widely expected a rate pause just a few weeks ago, but have now priced in a 25-basis point hike at 67%. US economic data has been solid, making it more difficult for the Fed to take a pause. Unless Friday's nonfarm payrolls are woefully below the forecast, it's looking likely that the Fed will be forced to hike again in June.
The US House of Representatives has approved the debt ceiling deal by a resounding vote of 314-117. The Senate will have to quickly vote on the bill, as the government could reach its spending limit as early as June 5. The debt ceiling crisis sapped risk appetite and has helped the US dollar post broad gains against the majors. Fed member Loretta said that the deal removes a “big piece of uncertainty” about the economy.
The US dollar has posted strong gains against the majors due to the debt crisis ceiling, which sapped risk sentiment. Once the debt ceiling is out of the way, it will be interesting to see if the US dollar loses some steam.
USD/CHF is testing support at 0.9103. Below, there is support at 0.9022
0.9156 and 0.9237 are the next resistance lines
Swiss franc falls despite SNB Jordan's hawkish messageThe Swiss franc has fallen considerably on Thursday. In the North American session, USD/CHF is trading at 0.8950, up 0.59% on the day.
Swiss National Bank President Jordan reiterated a hawkish message on Wednesday that he sent out a week ago. Jordan said that he could not rule out further rate hikes, noting that current monetary policy was not restrictive enough. In other words, the SNB is unhappy with inflation levels, which although relatively low at 2.6%, have been above the Bank's target of 0-2% since February 2022. Inflation fell from 2.9% to 2.6% in April, and there is one final inflation report before the SNB's next meeting on June 22nd. The SNB has not shied away from being aggressive and delivering oversize hikes as high as 0.75% in the current rate-hike cycle, and we could see another hike if inflation doesn't fall close to 2.0% in the next release.
The Swiss franc continues to appreciate, much to the consternation of SNB policymakers, as a stronger Swissy makes exports more expensive. The Swiss franc has soared about 500 points since March 1st and Jordan made sure to remind his listeners that the central bank was prepared to intervene in the forex markets if necessary.
In the US, unemployment claims surprised to the upside, rising to 264,000, up from 245,000 and higher than the consensus estimate of 242,000. This was the highest total since January 2022, and although it's just one report, it will likely raise speculation that the labour market is showing cracks. On the inflation front, the Producers Price Index, taking the lead from CPI, softened in April. The headline reading fell from 2.7% to 2.3% (2.4% est). The core rate dropped from 3.4% to 3.2% (3.3% est).
USD/CHF has pushed past resistance at 0.8907. The next resistance line is 0.8994
0.8819 and 0.8732 are providing support
Eurozone banks now caught the coldAs I mentioned before, the contagion will spread like wildfire because the banking system are so intertwined.
We now see Deutsche Bank potentially get caught in the onslaught. Their share tanked by approximately 15% last Friday.
After Credit Suisse got obliterated and UBS come to pick up the remains with assistance from SNB ($100 Billion Swiss Franc), their share price now trade below $1.
Liquidity injection did nothing to help Credit Suisse. I see this bailout as helping the top 10% to rescue their money and let the rest die.
It is always the case. Silicon Valley Bank just gap down and declining more, Signature Bank not showing signs of recovery at all and the regulators/leaders of US still say everything is okay.
One thing to bare in mind is that, all the country's leaders have a fiduciary duty to not cause public panic, even though they have a gun to their head.
So, what ever you read right now in the mass media by Janet Yellen, Jerome Powell, Bank CEOs and other Central Bank chairperson, is deemed untrustworthy.
As mentioned before, the next sector that might get hit will be real estate, in particular commercial real estate.
White collar layoffs on-going + high inflation + high cost of borrowing + tightening lending requirement + high delinquency in rental/mortgage payments
+ work from home/hybrid preference = commercial real estate crash. If this crash happens, Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities will come crashing down too, which will bring down the Big Banks.
There will be flight to safety. Gold and silver will continue to rise, no doubt about that. US Stock market will like rally short term as Eurozone and Switzerland is on shaky grounds.
US Dollar may see a short term bullishness as sentiment on Euro bloc is hitting the headlines. Massive riots in France due to Macro increasing retirement age, will also be priced-in and act as catalyst.
APAC region could potentially see great alternative to store value and protect capital. APAC markets, as I always said, is more conservative and resilient.
By Sifu Steve @ XeroAcademy
USD/CHF - Swiss franc climbs higher, SNB meeting eyedThe Swiss franc continues to rally and is trading in North America at 0.9139, down 0.37%. USD/CHF has fallen some 200 points in just one week.
SNB goes for oversize hike
The Swiss National Bank raised rates by 50 basis points today, bringing the cash rate to 1.50%. It was a toss-up whether the SNB would raise rates by 25 or 50 bp, and in the end, policy makers opted for the larger increase. There were strong reasons to support either move. Swiss inflation jumped to 3.4% in February, its highest level since 1993. Although these levels are very low compared to other major economies, inflation is above the target of 0%-2% and this supported a 50-bp increase. At the same time, the market turmoil triggered by the bank crisis provided the SNB with an out, if it so wished, to opt for a smaller 25-bp hike.
SNB head Jordan said after the rate decision that the UBS takeover of Credit Suisse had averted a financial disaster, not just for Switzerland but for the global economy. Jordan warned that it was critical that the merger take place in a smooth manner in order to maintain financial stability. The SNB has been busy lately, providing $53 billion for the takeover and signing on to a coordinated move by six central banks to boost liquidity.
The Federal Reserve raised rates by 25 bp on Wednesday as expected, but the move was a "dovish hike". The Fed changed the language in the rate statement, stating that tighter policy "may be appropriate", compared to "will be appropriate" in the previous statement. The dot plot chart indicated a forecast of a terminal rate of 5.1% for the end of 2023, unchanged from December.
The Fed's battle against inflation, which is showing results, hit a snag due to the recent bank crisis which sent the markets into turmoil. The Fed made reference to the crisis in the rate statement, stating that, "The US banking system is sound and resilient", but added that it was uncertain how the fallout of the crisis would impact the economy and inflation. ECB President Lagarde said this week that the banking debacle could help curb eurozone inflation, and the same argument, I suppose, can be said about inflation in the US.
The recent turmoil in the markets means that the Fed's rate path is unclear. With inflation still high, there is a need for additional tightening, but at the same time, tighter policy could worsen the stress on the banking system. The markets are expecting the current tightening cycle to end soon, with a pause and rate cuts to follow later in the year.
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USD/CHF is putting pressure on support at 0.9110. The next support level is 0.8935
0.9226 and 0.9304 are the next resistance lines
Levels discussed during the webinar 22nd March22nd March
DXY trade lower, break 103 to 102.60
NZDUSD: no trade, middle of s/r
AUDUSD: break 0.67 buy to 0.6730 SL 10 TP 20
USDJPY: buy above 133 SL 90 TP 180
GBPUSD: buy 1.2315 SL 30 TP 80
EURUSD: upside and downside potential, watch the video
USDCHF: sell below 0.92 SL 35 TP 90
USDCAD: sell below 1.3550 SL 30 TP 70
GBPJPY: buy above 163 SL 30 TP 90
GOLD: trading lower but looking for bounce at respective support levels to buy
USD/CHF - Swiss franc climbs higher, SNB meeting eyedThe Swiss franc is showing some strength on Tuesday. In the European session, USD/CHF is trading at 0.9238, down 0.58%.
The turmoil which has roiled the financial markets over the past week has eased today. European stock markets are steady, and shares of UBS and Credit Suisse are both higher. The extraordinary measures taken on the weekend, namely, the emergency takeover of Credit Suisse by UBS and the coordinated move by six major central banks to boost liquidity appear to have had a calming effect on jittery investors. These moves may have achieved the critical goal of containing the contagion in the banking system and avoiding a full-scale financial crisis.
The bank crisis has shocked investors, as Credit Suisse, the second largest bank in Switzerland, has toppled like a deck of cards, with its share price plunging to below one Swiss franc. The consolidated Swiss banking sector has lost a key player in a matter of days, and the stellar reputation of the Swiss banking system has been dealt a huge blow. One analyst went as far as stating that the demise of Credit Suisse has turned Switzerland into a "financial banana republic".
The volatility in the foreign exchange markets has paled in comparison to the turmoil in the equity and commodity markets. Still, the Swiss franc has lost ground against the US dollar and the euro since last week, when Credit Suisse collapsed. This points to the Swissie losing some of its attraction as a safe-haven asset.
In the midst of the bank crisis, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) holds a policy meeting on Thursday. The markets have priced at 50/50 the odds of a 25 or 50 basis point increase. Like the ECB, SNB policymakers face a dilemma of whether to remain aggressive in the fight against inflation or to ease up due to concerns over the turmoil in the Swiss banking sector. The ECB opted for the 50-bp move and we'll have to wait and see if the SNB follows suit.
USD/CHF faces resistance at 0.9304 and 0.9382
0.9226 and 0.9110 are providing support






















