USD/CHF struggles to extent winning streak on de-escalation in Middle East conflicts
- USD/CHF edges down to near 0.7985 as the US Dollar faces slight selling pressure.
- A fresh de-escalation in the Middle East war has diminished the safe-haven demand of the US Dollar.
- US President Trump is willing for peace with Iran without the opening of the Strait of Hormuz.
The USD/CHF pair ticks lower to near 0.7985 during the Asian trading session on Tuesday, struggling to extend its five-day winning streak, as the US Dollar (USD) faces slight selling pressure on reports that United States (US) President Donald Trump is willing to make peace with Iran without forcing the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
During the press time, the US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback’s value against six major currencies, trades subduedly around 100.40.
Earlier in the day, a report by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) showed that US President Trump is ready for peace with Iran, as Washington has cripped its military infrastructure. Trump added that Washington would pursue diplomatic ways for the Hormuz reopening, as a forceful way to reopen the waterways would stretch the conflict beyond his timeline of four to six weeks.
US President Trump’s call for a truce has improved the risk appetite of investors, resulting in a strong demand for riskier assets across the world. S&P 500 futures trade almost 1% higher above 6,400, as of writing.
A fresh de-escalation in Middle East conflicts has also resulted in a sharp correction in the oil price, which could weigh on hawkish Federal Reserve (Fed) bets that were accelerated due to higher energy prices-led de-anchored inflation expectations.
Meanwhile, the Swiss Franc (CHF) trades marginally higher against a majority of its currency peers. Broadly the Swiss currency has been under pressure as the Swiss National Bank (SNB) expressed, in the monetary policy announcement this month, readiness to intervene against excessive appreciation in the CHF.
US Dollar FAQs
The US Dollar (USD) is the official currency of the United States of America, and the ‘de facto’ currency of a significant number of other countries where it is found in circulation alongside local notes. It is the most heavily traded currency in the world, accounting for over 88% of all global foreign exchange turnover, or an average of $6.6 trillion in transactions per day, according to data from 2022. Following the second world war, the USD took over from the British Pound as the world’s reserve currency. For most of its history, the US Dollar was backed by Gold, until the Bretton Woods Agreement in 1971 when the Gold Standard went away.
The most important single factor impacting on the value of the US Dollar is monetary policy, which is shaped by the Federal Reserve (Fed). The Fed has two mandates: to achieve price stability (control inflation) and foster full employment. Its primary tool to achieve these two goals is by adjusting interest rates. When prices are rising too quickly and inflation is above the Fed’s 2% target, the Fed will raise rates, which helps the USD value. When inflation falls below 2% or the Unemployment Rate is too high, the Fed may lower interest rates, which weighs on the Greenback.
In extreme situations, the Federal Reserve can also print more Dollars and enact quantitative easing (QE). QE is the process by which the Fed substantially increases the flow of credit in a stuck financial system. It is a non-standard policy measure used when credit has dried up because banks will not lend to each other (out of the fear of counterparty default). It is a last resort when simply lowering interest rates is unlikely to achieve the necessary result. It was the Fed’s weapon of choice to combat the credit crunch that occurred during the Great Financial Crisis in 2008. It involves the Fed printing more Dollars and using them to buy US government bonds predominantly from financial institutions. QE usually leads to a weaker US Dollar.
Quantitative tightening (QT) is the reverse process whereby the Federal Reserve stops buying bonds from financial institutions and does not reinvest the principal from the bonds it holds maturing in new purchases. It is usually positive for the US Dollar.
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