The USD/CHF currency pair fell on December 16, 2025, amid continued US dollar weakness in global markets. The dollar briefly approached a two-month low as investors awaited key economic data from the US, including the pending employment report, as well as more dovish or moderate policy signals from the Federal Reserve. This pressure on the dollar strengthened the Swiss franc relative to the USD, causing USD/CHF to fall below the psychological level of around 0.80. Furthermore, the Swiss National Bank's (SNB) decision to maintain interest rates at 0% without major changes also supported the...
The unemployment rate in the United States went up to 4.2% in November of 2024 from 4.1% in the prior month, in line with market expectations. The number of unemployed individuals increased by 161,000 to 7.145 million, while employment levels decreased by 355,000 to 161.141 million. Meanwhile, the labor force participation rate edged down to 62.5% from 62.6%, and the employment-population ratio fell to 59.8% from 60%. Source: Trading Economics
Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) in the US rose by 227,000 in November, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported on Friday. This reading came in above the market expectation of 200,000.
The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rose to 224,000 in the week ending Dec. 1, 2024. The figure was higher than the 215,000 estimate and higher than the previous weekly reading of 213,000, the Labor Department said Thursday. Source: @Newsmaker23
Private businesses in the US added 146K workers to their payrolls in November 2024, the least in three months, following a downwardly revised 184K rise in October, and slightly below forecasts of 150K. The service-producing sector added 140K jobs, led by education/health services (50K); trade/transportation/utilities (28K); professional/business services (18K); leisure/hospitality (15K); financial activities (5K) and information (4K). Meanwhile, the goods-producing sector added 6K jobs, of which 30K in construction and 2K in natural resources/mining while manufacturing shed 26K jobs....
The number of workers quitting jobs in the US rose to 3.326 million in October 2024, the highest in five months, from an upwardly revised 3.098 million in the previous month. The quit rate, a metric that measures workers voluntarily leaving their jobs as a proportion of total employment, increased to 2.1% from 1.9% in the previous month. Quits increased in the accommodation and food services sector (+90,000). Source: Trading Economics
The S&P Global US Manufacturing PMI was revised higher to 49.7 in November 2024 from a preliminary reading of 48.8, and compared with 48.5 in October, indicating a near-stabilization of the manufacturing sector. The rate of decline in new orders slowed sharply, while stronger confidence in the future prompted companies to add staff. However, output continued to be cut. Meanwhile, the rate of input cost inflation weakened further and was the slowest in a year. In contrast, output prices rose at a slightly faster pace. "Optimism about the year ahead has risen to an unprecedented level in...
Asia-Pacific markets started trading lower on Friday, with investors assessing November inflation figures from the Japanese capital, Tokyo, and industrial production figures from South Korea. Tokyo's headline inflation rate came in at 2.6% in November, up from 1.8% seen in October. Core inflation, which excludes fresh food costs, rose to 2.2% compared with a Reuters poll's expectation of 2.1%. Tokyo's inflation figures are widely seen as an indicator of national trends. Separately, South Korea's industrial production rose 2.3% year-on-year in October, reversing a 1.3% decline in...
The European Central Bank should keep its options open for a bigger rate cut next month and its policy rate could eventually fall to a level that once again stimulates growth, ECB policymaker Francois Villeroy de Galhau said on Thursday. Financial market pricing indicates investors expect the central bank to lower borrowing costs by at least another quarter of a point at its next meeting on Dec. 12. Some market participants even expect a larger cut, as betting activity has shown in recent days. "Seen from today, there is every reason to cut on December 12. Optionality should remain open on...
Gold rises in the early Asian trade. There's a broad commodities uptrend, driven by macro uncertainty, a weaker dollar, and persistent demand for "hard" assets, says Fawad Razaqzada, market analyst...
Oil extended declines after OPEC+ agreed to a bigger-than-expected production increase next month, raising concerns about oversupply just as US tariffs fan fears about the demand outlook.
Brent...
The Japanese Yen (JPY) weakened against its US counterpart and reversed part of Friday's recovery from the lowest level since July 23 following Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Kazuo Ueda's remarks....