USD/CHF clings to gains near weekly tops, around 0.9175 region ahead of US data
- USD/CHF regained positive traction on Wednesday and climbed to fresh weekly tops.
- The prevalent risk-on mood undermined the safe-haven CHF and remained supportive.
- The USD benefitted from rebounding US bond yields and provided an additional boost.
- Investors eye US ADP report/ISM PMI for some impetus ahead of Friday’s NFP report.
The USD/CHF pair maintained its bid tone through the mid-European session, albeit has retreated few pips from weekly tops set earlier this Wednesday. The pair was last seen trading around the 0.9175 region, up 0.25% for the day.
The pair caught some fresh bids on Wednesday and built on the previous day's late rebound from the 0.9115 region. The prevalent risk-on mood – as depicted by a generally positive tone around the equity markets – undermined the safe-haven Swiss franc and acted as a tailwind for the USD/CHF pair.
On the other hand, a strong follow-through uptick in the US Treasury bond yields assisted the US dollar to stage a modest recovery from three-week lows. This, in turn, was seen as another factor that provided a modest lift to the USD/CHF pair, though the uptick lacked strong bullish conviction.
Uncertainty over the likely timing of the Fed's tapering plan and fading hopes for an early lift-off held the USD bulls from placing aggressive bets. This makes it prudent to wait for a sustained move beyond the 0.9200 round-figure mark before positioning for any further appreciating move.
Market participants now look forward to the US economic docket, highlighting the releases of the ADP report on private-sector employment and ISM Manufacturing PMI. This, along with the US bond yields, might influence the USD price dynamics and provide some trading impetus to the USD/CHF pair.
The key focus, however, will remain on Friday's release of the US monthly jobs data. The closely-watched NFP report will play a key role in driving market expectations about the Fed's next policy move, which should assist investors to determine the near-term trajectory for the USD/CHF pair.
Technical levels to watch