Bank of England Holds Rates as Economic Pressures Mount
The Bank of England held interest rates steady at 4.25% during its policy meeting yesterday but signalled a growing appetite for easing in the near term. Notably, three members of […]
GBP Slides as UK Labour Market Weakens and Recession Fears Grow
Tuesday morning started off in red for GBP against both EUR and USD, after average earnings and unemployment figures were released. An indication in the wrong direction for both indices, […]
Surprise Inflation Spike Shakes UK Rate Cut Hopes as Sterling Hits 3-Year High
Inflation has surprisingly climbed higher than initial forecasts, with an increase in household bills being the main contribution to inflation rising to 3.5%. It’s also notably the highest level of […]
Sterling Gains Ground Amid UK-EU Talks
Sterling enjoyed improved performance over the last week, particularly against the Euro, driven largely by speculation surrounding ongoing UK-EU negotiations. Markets appear optimistic ahead of key talks scheduled for Monday, with traders hoping for positive outcomes. However, it’s important to remain cautious; while optimism is running high, there’s a risk the outcome might fall short of market expectations. If talks disappoint, we could see Sterling give up some of its recent gains. Conversely, a positive surprise could push GBP/EUR rates firmly into the 1.19 area. Looking at economic data, Monday starts with Eurozone core inflation, expected to rise by 0.3% to reach 2.7% year-on-year. Given persistently high costs across Europe, a higher inflation print won’t come as a shock. However, it could influence the European Central Bank’s (ECB) approach, possibly slowing down their planned interest rate cuts—potentially giving the Euro some short-term support. Later in the day, various Federal Reserve officials are scheduled to speak. However, without Fed Chair Jerome Powell participating, these speeches are unlikely to offer substantial forward guidance or spark significant market volatility. On Tuesday, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is widely expected to cut interest rates to 3.85%. Even though this cut is anticipated, it’s likely to put downward pressure on the Australian Dollar. Traders should therefore expect GBPAUD to open higher when London markets begin trading. Additionally, Canadian inflation data later in the day is forecasted lower at 1.6%, likely causing weakness in the Canadian Dollar (CAD) and potentially creating trading opportunities in CAD pairs. Wednesday’s primary focus will be on UK inflation data, forecasted to rise to 3.6% year-on-year. A higher inflation reading would likely prompt the Bank of England (BoE) to pause any further immediate rate cuts, providing Sterling with some short-term strength. With no other significant data scheduled, Sterling pairs may see greater volatility based purely on this inflation release. Thursday is Flash PMI day, providing preliminary economic snapshots from the UK, Eurozone, and the U.S. Both the UK and Eurozone figures are expected to show slight improvement, while U.S. PMIs are forecasted lower across the board. Although these flash PMIs are essentially estimates, they’re generally accurate and can serve as important leading indicators for market sentiment. We may see some volatility, particularly in USD pairs, if U.S. PMIs confirm a weakening economic outlook. Finally, Friday concludes with UK retail sales data. Currently, no official forecast has been released, but given recent good weather conditions, it would not be surprising to see increased consumer spending across the UK. Strong retail figures could further bolster Sterling, closing the week on a positive note. As always, navigating currency markets in such volatile times requires careful planning. If you need any support or insights on managing your FX risk, please feel free to reach out—I’m here to help. GBP/EUR 1.1858 GBP/USD 1.3367 GBP/AED 4.9114GBP/AUD 2.0761 GBP/CHF 1.1137 GBP/CAD 1.8650GBP/NZD 2.2648 EUR/USD 1.1257 GBP/ZAR 24.0937
Mixed PMI Data and Rate Cut Expectations Keep Markets in Holding Pattern
Tuesday began with the release of PMI (Purchasing Managers’ Index) figures from several European countries and the broader European Union, presenting mixed signals around the crucial 50-mark threshold. Typically, a […]
UK Inflation Falls Again as Rate Cut Odds Soar – Pound Defies Expectations
UK Inflation has surprisingly fallen for the second month in a row, as figures released this morning showed prices are rising at the slowest pace in 4 months. It’s a […]
Sterling Faces Euro Pressure Amid Trump’s Tariff Rollercoaster
It’s been yet another volatile week in the FX markets, largely driven by ongoing uncertainty around President Trump’s tariffs. While Sterling managed to hold firm against the U.S. Dollar, briefly […]
UK Growth Downgrade and Sterling Rebounds
A quick recap on yesterday’s budget, with the main takeaways being that real GDP growth for 2025 has been downgraded to 1% (notably from 2%) from initial predictions in the […]
Sterling Steady as Markets Await Crucial UK Spring Budget
Last week was relatively steady for Sterling exchange rates, with the Bank of England’s latest meeting delivering no surprises. As widely expected, the BoE kept rates unchanged at 4.50%, reflecting […]
Market Uncertainty Rises as Trump Comments Shake the US Dollar & BoE Rate Decision Looms
The US Dollar has been trumped by Donald Trump after his disruptive comments following The Federal Reserve’s rate decision saw Cable float around the 1.30 area. Donald Trump stated that […]