USD/CHF holds positive ground above 0.9100 ahead of Fed Chair Powell's testimony

• USD/CHF drifts higher to 0.9115 in Tuesday's early European session. 
• The threats of reciprocal tariffs and additional protectionist measures by Trump boost the US Dollar. 
• The ongoing Middle East geopolitical tensions could boost the safe-haven currency like the CHF. 

The USD/CHF pair trades in positive territory for the fourth consecutive day around 0.9115 on Tuesday during the early European trading hours. The threats of reciprocal tariffs and the imposition of 25% tariffs on aluminium and steel by US President Donald Trump provide some support to the US Dollar (USD). Investors will closely monitor Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Jerome Powell's semi-annual testimony on Tuesday. 

Analysts believe that tariff policies by the Trump administration could be inflationary and put further pressure on the Fed to keep interest rates elevated. Markets are pricing in 36 basis points (bps) of cuts this year, down from 42 bps after an upbeat labour market report on Friday. This, in turn, underpins the Greenback against the Swiss Franc (CHF). 

"It would not be prudent to fight this trend of US dollar strength, at least until later this year when we can have a better gauge of the breath and scope of the tariffs and the corresponding impact on the US economy," said United Overseas Bank (UOB) analysts. 

On the other hand, global uncertainties and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East could drive safe-haven flows to the CHF. The Kremlin said on Monday that US-Russia relations were on the brink of collapse and refused to confirm whether Russian President Vladimir Putin had spoken with President Donald Trump, despite Trump saying so Sunday.

The Swiss Franc could trade stronger in the coming months as the Swiss National Bank (SNB) is unlikely to return to negative interest rates, Commerzbank analyst Michael Pfister said in a note. The SNB might end its rate-cutting cycle with a policy rate of 0.0%, compared with 0.5% currently.