Markets Volatile after US Election & Vaccine news
The recent period has been volatile for currency markets tossed about by US election uncertainty, stimulus spending doubts and both good and bad news from the COVID-19 frontline.
Swiss franc CHF forecasts for 2020
Forecasts for the Swiss franc change all the time, affected by relative sentiment towards the Swiss economy and the traditional Risk-off flight to safety effect towards the Swiss Franc.
Booming Commodities Can’t Save Australian Dollar
The Australian dollar is at or near multi-month lows against a number of major currencies in spite of a rampant iron ore market — once a great influence on AUD.
Dollar Turbocharged by Economic Data; At Long-Term High Versus Euro, Franc and Krona
A turbocharged US dollar is likely to be “stronger for longer” after reaching long-term highs against a host of major currencies, including the euro, Swiss franc and Swedish krona.
Swiss Franc Slumps to 6-Month Low Versus Euro
The Swiss franc continued its shocking run of form on Tuesday, slipping against the euro to its weakest level in 6 months.
Outlook for Singapore Dollar Is Bright; Swiss Franc Strong In Spite of Ultra-Loose SNB
The Singapore dollar weakened on Tuesday but is forecast to be the best performing Asian currency in 2019. In Europe, political uncertainties have driven funds into the Swiss franc, elevating its price. The SNB has re-affirmed its commitment to market interventions, which means EUR/CHF at Fr1.1 will be a difficult nut to crack.
Undervalued Australian Dollar Higher in 2019 (CIBC); Franc, Yen at Multi-Month Highs on Haven Demand
There’s been no letup over Christmas for the Australian dollar, which continues to threaten the 70-US cents handle. The Aussie may appreciate as high as 78 cents in 2019, an expert has said. Meanwhile, safety-driven inflows have forced the franc and yen much higher, but oil prices continue to weigh heavily on the Canadian dollar.
Will the Swiss Franc Be Shaken by Populist Referendum?
A referendum in Switzerland on Sunday will ask whether Swiss law should take precedence over international laws, particularly those coming from the EU. A vote by the people to take back legislative control would undoubtedly weaken the Swiss franc.
Australian Dollar and Euro Heading Higher, Experts Say
Weakness in the Australian dollar since Friday is to be short-lived, experts at National Australia Bank have said. A rally in AUD/USD to 0.74 is on the cards, as are politically-driven moves in EUR/GBP and EUR/CHF towards 0.92 and 1.2.
Dollar Strikes 16-Month High; Euro FX Down in the Dumps; Mexican Peso Falls Sharply
Developments outside the US allowed for the dollar to appreciate against a basket of currencies to a sixteen-month high on Wednesday. The ICE-maintained US dollar Index, which provides a weighted-mean measure of the greenback’s value against the euro, British pound, Swiss franc, Canadian dollar, Japanese yen and Swedish krona, traded above 97.0 for the second […]
“Avoid GBP,” Forecasters Say; Swiss Franc Volatility to Increase
It’s no time to be brave with your British pounds, think foreign exchange experts at Crédit Agricole. “Stay conservative; avoid GBP,” the bank’s research team wrote on Tuesday. The pound has had a mixed year. As of writing, its 3.9 percent year-to-date loss against the US dollar ($1.299) is balanced by a 5.2 percent gain […]
Frightening FX Losses in Argentina; SNB Might Intervene to Weaken Franc
The currency situation in Argentina is becoming desperate. In a single three-hour period on Thursday, the Argentine peso shed 19 percent of its value as it slid to 41.47 to the dollar. The peso had already lost 45 percent since January. With the peso’s spiral downwards, default risk in Argentina moves ever higher, resulting in […]
Swiss Franc Overvalued but Bearable, Says Finance Minister; Is Heading to 1.22 Versus Euro
The Swiss franc remains overvalued at the current rate of 1.16 francs per euro, said Swiss finance minister Ueli Maurer on Wednesday, but the currency is finally at levels that Switzerland “can live with.”
Dollar Soars and Euro Tanks as Central Banks Plot Different Paths
The euro plunged on Thursday and the US dollar had one of its best days in recent memory after two of the world’s most important central banks announced decisions on monetary policy. EUR/USD, now at 1.156, shed 2 percent, marking its biggest one-day decline since the summer of 2016. Offering contrasting messages were the US […]
Swiss Franc Slides to Symbolic 1.2 Per Euro Level, Cheered On by SNB
Thursday and Friday saw the Swiss franc slide through the symbolic 1.2 per euro level at which the Swiss National Bank capped the franc’s value prior to “Francogeddon” in January 2015. The franc has weakened steadily since it traded at 0.965 per euro in the aftermath of the SNB’s abrupt abolition of the currency cap, […]
EUR/CHF Heading Higher on Policy Divergence; BAML Sees 1.20 as “Minimum Target”
The euro is set to rally against the Swiss franc to levels between 1.18 and 1.20, and perhaps beyond, according to a consensus opinion of bank research teams. The euro ended Wednesday’s New York session buying 1.1542 francs and has so far averaged 1.11 francs in 2017. The driving force for euro appreciation against the […]
Sterling Soars, Yen the Casualty at the End of Eventful Week
The British pound rose on Friday to its highest level against the dollar since the UK’s historic ‘Brexit’ vote in June of last year. By lunchtime in London, the pound was buying $1.3616, capping a brilliant fortnight in which it has risen from rates close to $1.29. On minor profit taking, the currency settled back […]
Missile Test Whipsaws Yen and Swiss Central Bank Speaks on Franc
Investors were rattled on Friday morning following the news that North Korea had launched another missile over northern Japan. After traversing the island of Hokkaido, the missile is said to have travelled a further 1200 miles before landing in the Pacific Ocean. The North Korean regime preceded its test with statements that it would “sink” […]
USD/JPY Finally Breaks 108 on Hurricane Irma Concerns
The trading week ended as it began, with investors selling the dollar and seeking the safety of the yen and Swiss franc. This time, rather than North Korea, investors have been unnerved by Hurricane Irma – a potentially deadly storm, likely to reach Florida on Saturday evening, that is expected to cause significant economic damage. […]
Geopolitics Take Centre Stage, Gives Lift to Yen but US Dollar Remains on the Ropes
Investors fled to the safety of gold, government bonds and the Japanese yen on Tuesday as geopolitics took centre stage. After North Korea fired a missile over Japan, money flooded into gold, which rallied to a nine-month high of $1,325, and into yen, which strengthened to the low 108s against the dollar. Prices for Treasuries, […]
Drama in Asia as the Yuan Spikes to 10-Month High Amid Speculation of a Wider Trading Band
Tuesday’s Asian session was stirred by a surprise surge in the Chinese yuan. Starting around 9:30am in Beijing, the yuan began rallying strongly against the dollar, with offshore rates declining (the yuan strengthening) to 6.7024 by 1pm, from rates earlier in the session around 6.73. Onshore yuan easily broke the 6.7 level and as of writing […]
There’s a “Perfect Storm” for Swiss Franc Depreciation, Currency at 18-Month Low Versus Euro
The recent plunge in the Swiss franc continued on Friday with the currency falling to new multi-month lows against several of the other majors. Against the euro, Switzerland’s currency fell to an eighteen-month low of €0.88 (EUR/CHF 1.1363). The franc has fallen in near-vertical fashion this week and the pace of its fall has only […]
US Dollar Index Falls to 7-Month Low on Poor Jobs Data
The US dollar fell across the board yesterday and the Dollar Index (USDX/DXY) fell to 96.67 – its lowest in nearly seven months – following a highly disappointing US jobs report. For traders, the monthly report, which includes numbers for US non-farm payrolls, average hourly earnings growth, as well as the unemployment and participation rates, […]
Sterling Soars on May’s Election U-Turn and Switzerland Denies Currency Manipulation
Described as a “game-changer” by Deutsche Bank, British prime minister Theresa May’s decision to call a snap general election was the big story of the day on Tuesday and has reignited sterling exchange rates. For months Theresa May had played down the possibility of an election earlier than 2020. In the eyes of many of […]
Wednesday’s Data to Breathe New Life into FX, and Time to Buy Your Sterling
The FX markets welcome China back from a two-day holiday on Wednesday, and markets will be hopeful that the Asian giant’s re-introduction, combined with a host of US data, will spark new life into what has been an uneventful start to the FX week. Again yesterday, like the day before, some of the world’s most […]
World First’s selection of 11 global events for sports lovers in 2016
A new year brings a wealth of sporting delights around the world, from Euro 2016 to the Invictus Games. Here at World First, we help people transfer money around the world. Some of the people we help in 2016 might be out in the US for the Ryder Cup golf, and enjoy it so much […]
World First’s list of 101 things to do around the world in 2016
Want to do something different in 2016? We’ve scoured the world for the biggest, messiest, noisiest, most iconic and, frankly, the weirdest events around the world to compile the ultimate list of 101 things to do around the world in 2016. From sport to music, festivals to the weird and wonderful, we’ve got you covered. […]