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- USD/CHF exhibits strength ahead of the US PCE inflation data for August.
- Upbeat US Q2 GDP and a decline in Initial Jobless Claims boost the US Dollar.
- The SNB kept interest rates steady at 0% on Thursday.
The USD/CHF pair demonstrates strength near its over two-week high around 0.8000 during Friday’s late Asian session, posted on Thursday. The Swiss Franc pair gained sharply on Thursday as the US Dollar (USD) extended its upside, following the release of the upbeat revised United States (US) Q2 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and a decline in Initial Jobless Claims for the week ending September 20.
The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback’s value against six major currencies, holds onto gains near the four-week high around 98.60.
On Thursday, revised Q2 GDP data showed that the economy grew at an annualized pace of 3.8%, faster than the preliminary estimate of 3.3%. US President Donald Trump hailed strong GDP figures, in a post on Truth.Social, and simultaneously criticized the Federal Reserve (Fed) for keeping interest rates too high.
Meanwhile, the number of individuals seeking jobless benefits for the first time came in lower at 218K. Economists expected Initial Jobless Claims to come in higher at 235K, marginally higher than the prior reading of 232K.
In Friday’s session, the key trigger for the US Dollar will be the US Personal Consumption Expenditure Price Index (PCE) data for August, which will be published at 12:30 GMT. The US core PCE inflation, which is the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, is estimated to have grown at a moderate pace of 0.2% on a monthly basis against the prior reading of 0.3%, with yearly figures rising steadily by 2.9%.
In the Swiss region, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) held interest rates steady at 0% on Thursday and blamed US tariffs for deteriorating economic growth. “Uncertainty about inflation and economic development remains elevated as US tariffs present a major challenge,” SNB Chairman Martin Schlegel said.
The SNB kept the door open for pushing interest rates into negative territory if inflation falls further. “We would cut interest rates if inflation falls outside the price stability range over the medium term,” Schlegel said.
