The Pound Sterling has strengthened against the US Dollar as traders reassess the possibility of interest rate cuts by the Bank of England (BoE) for the rest of the year. The BoE is anticipated to cut rates once in either the November or December meetings, with an 80% chance of a 25 basis points reduction to 4.75%. However, there are some analysts who believe that the BoE may leave rates unchanged at 5% due to various considerations, such as budget measures and inflation projections. Market speculation for BoE rate cuts has lessened following the UK Chancellor’s tax increase announcement and the Office for Business Responsibility’s inflation forecasts for 2024 and 2025.
In terms of the Pound Sterling’s performance against major currencies, the table shows that the British Pound was strongest against the Japanese Yen, while experiencing mixed changes against other currencies such as the US Dollar, Euro, Canadian Dollar, Australian Dollar, New Zealand Dollar, and Swiss Franc. The heatmap displays the percentage changes of major currencies against each other, providing a visual representation of the currency movements.
The Pound Sterling has seen some weakness against the US Dollar in recent trading sessions, with the GBP/USD pair reaching an 11-week low of around 1.2850. Investors are closely watching the upcoming US Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) data for October, which will impact market expectations for the Federal Reserve (Fed) interest rate trajectory. Additionally, Average Hourly Earnings and ISM Manufacturing PMI data for October will be in focus to gauge the health of the US economy and impact Fed decisions.
From a technical analysis perspective, the Pound Sterling remains vulnerable near its recent low against the US Dollar. The GBP/USD pair has fallen below the 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) but has found support near the 200-day EMA. The breakdown of a Rising Channel chart formation on the daily timeframe indicates a bearish reversal, with the 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) signaling bearish momentum. Looking ahead, the Pound Sterling may find support at the 1.2800 level and face resistance near the 50-day EMA around 1.3060.
Overall, the Pound Sterling’s strength against the US Dollar and other major currencies is influenced by factors such as interest rate expectations, economic data releases, and technical levels. Traders will continue to monitor central bank decisions, economic indicators, and market sentiment to navigate the currency markets effectively.