USD/CHF struggles to extend rally above 0.8125, outlook remains bullish

• USD/CHF rally hits pause near 0.8125 after the release of the US data.

• US ADP Employment Change and ISM Services PMI data for October beat estimates.

• SNB’s Schlegel reiterates confidence that inflation will rise in the coming quarters.

The USD/CHF pair struggles to extend its over-a-week-long rally above the 11-week high of 0.8125 posted on Wednesday. During the late Asian trading session, the Swiss Franc pair trades marginally down to near 0.8095.

The rally in the Swiss Franc pair hits pause as the US Dollar (USD) retraces after the release of the United States (US) ADP Employment Change and ISM Services Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) data for October.

At the time of writing, the US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback’s value against six major currencies, ticks down to near 100.05. The USD index has corrected slightly after posting a fresh five-month high near 100.35 on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the ADP Employment report showed that fresh jobs created in October were 42K fresh jobs, higher than estimates of 25K. In September, employers laid off 29K workers. Meanwhile, the Services PMI came in at 52.4, beating estimates of 50.8 and the prior reading of 50.0.

Technically, upbeat US data boosts the US Dollar’s appeal. Therefore, the pullback in the US currency from its immediate high appears to be the outcome of profit-booking, considering other things constant.

Meanwhile, Federal Reserve (Fed) dovish expectations for the December meeting have eased further as a majority of officials continue to express concerns over upside inflation risks. According to the CME FedWatch tool, the probability of the Fed cutting interest rates by 25 basis points (bps) to 3.50%-3.75% in the December meeting has eased to 62.5% from 94.4% seen before the monetary policy announcement on October 29.

On the Swiss Franc (CHF) front, Swiss National Bank (SNB) Chairman Martin Schlegel reiterated confidence on Tuesday that inflation will accelerate in the coming quarters. “Inflation should rise slightly in the next quarters, and interest rates are expected to remain on hold for a long time,” Schlegel said. Such a scenario is typically favorable for the Swiss currency.