Pound Sterling faces pressure as BoE’s policy decision looms large
- The Pound Sterling declines against its major peers as traders price in a 25 bps interest rate cut by the BoE on Thursday.
- Investors should brace for high volatility amid uncertainty over US-China trade relations.
- The US Dollar will be guided by the US ADP Employment Change and the ISM Services PMI data for January on Wednesday.
The Pound Sterling (GBP) underperforms its major peers, except the US Dollar (USD), on Wednesday as investors turn cautious ahead of the Bank of England’s (BoE) monetary policy decision, which will be announced on Thursday.
The BoE is almost certain to reduce its key borrowing rates by 25 basis points (bps) to 4.50%, with an 8-1 vote split. This would be the third interest rate cut by the BoE in its current policy-easing cycle. Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) member Catherine Mann, who has been an outspoken hawk, is expected to support keeping interest rates steady at 4.75%.
Traders are confident about the BoE cutting interest rates on Thursday as inflationary pressures in the United Kingdom (UK) decelerated at a faster-than-expected pace in December. Inflation in the services sector – which is closely tracked by BoE officials – grew at a moderate pace of 4.4%, compared to 5% growth in November. Also, a sharp decline in the Retail Sales data for December boosted BoE dovish bets.
Market participants are also anticipating that the BoE will cut interest rates by 56 bps this year beyond the policy meeting on Thursday.
British Pound PRICE Today
The table below shows the percentage change of British Pound (GBP) against listed major currencies today. British Pound was the strongest against the US Dollar.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | -0.12% | -0.08% | -0.74% | -0.16% | -0.20% | -0.39% | -0.12% | |
| EUR | 0.12% | 0.04% | -0.61% | -0.05% | -0.08% | -0.28% | -0.00% | |
| GBP | 0.08% | -0.04% | -0.63% | -0.08% | -0.11% | -0.31% | -0.04% | |
| JPY | 0.74% | 0.61% | 0.63% | 0.57% | 0.53% | 0.32% | 0.61% | |
| CAD | 0.16% | 0.05% | 0.08% | -0.57% | -0.04% | -0.24% | 0.04% | |
| AUD | 0.20% | 0.08% | 0.11% | -0.53% | 0.04% | -0.20% | 0.08% | |
| NZD | 0.39% | 0.28% | 0.31% | -0.32% | 0.24% | 0.20% | 0.28% | |
| CHF | 0.12% | 0.00% | 0.04% | -0.61% | -0.04% | -0.08% | -0.28% |
The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the British Pound from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the US Dollar, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent GBP (base)/USD (quote).
Daily digest market movers: Pound Sterling rises against US Dollar ahead of US data
- The Pound Sterling gains to near 1.2500 against the US Dollar in Wednesday’s European session. The GBP/USD pair advances as the US Dollar gives up its initial weekly gains as it loses risk-premium after United States (US) President Donald Trump postponed tariffs on Canada and Mexico.
- Market participants have interpreted this scenario as President Trump’s negotiation tactic to close better deals with his major trading partners. Trump called for an immediate suspension of 25% tariff orders on his North American peers after they agreed to cooperate on criminal enforcement.
- Still, investors are hesitant to go all-in for risky assets as a trade war between two powerhouses, the US and China, is brewing. On Tuesday, China responded swiftly to Trump’s 10% tariffs by imposing levies on various US exports, including farm equipment, some autos, and energy items such as Coal and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
- On the economic front, the US Dollar will be guided by the US ADP Employment Change for the private sector and the ISM Services Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) data for January, which will be published during North American trading hours.
- Economists estimate the private sector to have employed 150K new workers, higher than 122K in December. Meanwhile, the Services PMI, which gauges activities in the services sector that account for two-thirds of the US economy, is estimated to have advanced to 54.3 from the former release of 54.1.
- The economic data will influence market expectations for how long the Federal Reserve (Fed) will keep interest rates at their current levels this year.
Technical Analysis: Pound Sterling rises to near 50-day EMA
The Pound Sterling extends its winning streak for the third trading day against the US Dollar on Wednesday. The GBP/USD advances to near the 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) around 1.2500.
The 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) oscillates inside the 40.00-60.00 range, suggesting a sideways trend.
Looking down, the January 13 low of 1.2100 and the October 2023 low of 1.2050 will act as key support zones for the pair. On the upside, the December 30 high of 1.2607 will act as key resistance.
Pound Sterling FAQs
The Pound Sterling (GBP) is the oldest currency in the world (886 AD) and the official currency of the United Kingdom. It is the fourth most traded unit for foreign exchange (FX) in the world, accounting for 12% of all transactions, averaging $630 billion a day, according to 2022 data. Its key trading pairs are GBP/USD, also known as ‘Cable’, which accounts for 11% of FX, GBP/JPY, or the ‘Dragon’ as it is known by traders (3%), and EUR/GBP (2%). The Pound Sterling is issued by the Bank of England (BoE).
The single most important factor influencing the value of the Pound Sterling is monetary policy decided by the Bank of England. The BoE bases its decisions on whether it has achieved its primary goal of “price stability” – a steady inflation rate of around 2%. Its primary tool for achieving this is the adjustment of interest rates. When inflation is too high, the BoE will try to rein it in by raising interest rates, making it more expensive for people and businesses to access credit. This is generally positive for GBP, as higher interest rates make the UK a more attractive place for global investors to park their money. When inflation falls too low it is a sign economic growth is slowing. In this scenario, the BoE will consider lowering interest rates to cheapen credit so businesses will borrow more to invest in growth-generating projects.
Data releases gauge the health of the economy and can impact the value of the Pound Sterling. Indicators such as GDP, Manufacturing and Services PMIs, and employment can all influence the direction of the GBP. A strong economy is good for Sterling. Not only does it attract more foreign investment but it may encourage the BoE to put up interest rates, which will directly strengthen GBP. Otherwise, if economic data is weak, the Pound Sterling is likely to fall.
Another significant data release for the Pound Sterling is the Trade Balance. This indicator measures the difference between what a country earns from its exports and what it spends on imports over a given period. If a country produces highly sought-after exports, its currency will benefit purely from the extra demand created from foreign buyers seeking to purchase these goods. Therefore, a positive net Trade Balance strengthens a currency and vice versa for a negative balance.
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