empty
07.08.2023 01:22 PM
The pound has removed the blindfold

Everything eventually comes to an end. The good and the bad. It seems that the best days of the British pound are now behind us. Sterling, which had been leading gains in the G10 currency race for a long time, lost ground in August. Even raising the interest rate by 25 bps to 5.25% did not help. The Bank of England called its monetary policy restrictive for the first time. This suggests that the peak of borrowing costs is already close. If so, then the main advantage of GBP/USD has either played out or is about to do so.

Back when UK inflation continued to rise at 10% or more by the end of the first quarter, while it was decreasing in the US, investors were betting on the BoE's borrowing costs rising to 6.5%. This secured the favorite tag for the pound. However, the CPI's slowdown to 7.9% seems to have removed the blindfold from the sterling fans' eyes. How can one talk about 6% or more now? The economy is already shaky, and on top of that, the central bank will continue to hike rates. Do you want to completely ruin it?

Unlike most G7 countries, Britain will only be able to return to pre-pandemic levels in the third quarter of 2023. Others have done that a long time ago. The US looks good these days, despite the Federal Reserve's aggressive cycle of monetary tightening. Investors, given that it is nearing the end, prefer currencies of those countries that can please it with economic growth. Unfortunately, Great Britain is not one of those.

UK GDP

This image is no longer relevant

Back in 2022, the BoE forecasted a prolonged recession. The fact that Britain managed to avoid it became the catalyst for the GBP/USD rally. However, now investors have sobered up. They understand that the latest BoE estimates indicate weakness, not strength in the economy. Modest growth of 0.5% in 2023 and 2024, followed by +0.25%. BoE Governor Andrew Bailey and his colleagues believe that the monetary tightening will begin to bite in the future. Chief economist Huwe Pill claims that the rate increase from 0.1% to 5.25% is already working. The labor market is cooling down, which will ultimately slow down inflation.

Unemployment in Britain is rising, and local companies are hiring new permanent employees through recruitment agencies at the slowest pace since mid-2020. At that time, the country was under COVID-19 isolation. On the other hand, salaries are increasing very rapidly. However, looking at their slowdown in the US, one can assume that Great Britain will follow suit.

Bank of England GDP forecasts

This image is no longer relevant

This image is no longer relevant

This week, the key events for the pound will be the GDP data for the second quarter and US inflation for July. The acceleration of consumer prices in the US amid a weak economy in Great Britain is an argument in favor of extending the peak for GBP/USD.

Technically, on the daily chart, there was a retest of the lower band of the ascending trading channel. The rebound indicates the bulls' weakness. At the same time, falling below support level at 1.2685 may become the basis for building up the shorts formed from 1.277.

Marek Petkovich,
Analytical expert of InstaForex
© 2007-2025
Select timeframe
5
min
15
min
30
min
1
hour
4
hours
1
day
1
week
Earn on cryptocurrency rate changes with InstaForex
Download MetaTrader 4 and open your first trade
  • Grand Choice
    Contest by
    InstaForex
    InstaForex always strives to help you
    fulfill your biggest dreams.
    JOIN CONTEST

Recommended Stories

US stock market: bad news fully priced in

The S&P 500 had its worst quarter in three years. Investors are shifting capital from North America to Europe. Once-booming US tech stocks have collapsed. Major banks and respected institutions

Marek Petkovich 09:13 2025-04-01 UTC+2

April to play crucial role in Europe's gas future

Europe's gas sector is entering a critical phase, as the end of the heating season sets the stage for refilling storage facilities, which are now two-thirds empty after the winter

Miroslaw Bawulski 13:01 2025-03-31 UTC+2

WTI – West Texas Intermediate. Prices Lack Support for Growth

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices are attempting to attract buyers, but the market remains in a state of uncertainty. Concerns over President Trump's aggressive trade tariffs are putting

Irina Yanina 12:39 2025-03-31 UTC+2

EUR/USD. Analysis and Forecast

At the start of the new week during the Asian session, the EUR/USD pair attempted to attract buyers, but this was unsuccessful. The euro received support from easing concerns about

Irina Yanina 12:35 2025-03-31 UTC+2

US stock market runs into trouble

Rumors about mutual tariffs and another blow to consumer confidence triggered the second-worst sell-off of the S&P 500 this year. Investors are still holding piles of US stocks

Marek Petkovich 10:58 2025-03-31 UTC+2

EUR/USD. Hello, April: Eurozone Inflation Report, ISM Indices, and Nonfarm Payrolls

The first week of every month is the most informative for EUR/USD traders. The economic calendar traditionally includes a report on inflation growth in the eurozone, American ISM indices

Irina Manzenko 06:28 2025-03-31 UTC+2

GBP/USD Pair Overview – March 31: Nonfarm Payrolls, Trump, and Unemployment May Create New Problems for the Dollar

The GBP/USD currency pair continued to trade sideways near its highs on Friday. This sideways movement has persisted for several weeks, and the British pound has not managed even

Paolo Greco 06:24 2025-03-31 UTC+2

EUR/USD Pair Overview – March 31: A New Week of Trials for the Dollar

The EUR/USD currency pair rose again on Friday. As we can see, the correction against the upward trend of recent weeks ended very quickly. But that's no surprise, given that

Paolo Greco 06:24 2025-03-31 UTC+2

What to Pay Attention to on March 31? A Breakdown of Fundamental Events for Beginners

There are very few macroeconomic events scheduled for Monday. The only somewhat interesting reports will come from Germany. Retail sales and inflation data for March will be released. However, we'd

Paolo Greco 03:21 2025-03-31 UTC+2

AUD/USD: Analysis and Forecast

The AUD/USD pair continues its sideways consolidation, remaining within a familiar range near the key psychological level of 0.6300. This movement is driven by several factors impacting global market sentiment

Irina Yanina 11:16 2025-03-28 UTC+2
Can't speak right now?
Ask your question in the chat.
Widget callback
 

Dear visitor,

Your IP address shows that you are currently located in the USA. If you are a resident of the United States, you are prohibited from using the services of InstaFintech Group including online trading, online transfers, deposit/withdrawal of funds, etc.

If you think you are seeing this message by mistake and your location is not the US, kindly proceed to the website. Otherwise, you must leave the website in order to comply with government restrictions.

Why does your IP address show your location as the USA?

  • - you are using a VPN provided by a hosting company based in the United States;
  • - your IP does not have proper WHOIS records;
  • - an error occurred in the WHOIS geolocation database.

Please confirm whether you are a US resident or not by clicking the relevant button below. If you choose the wrong option, being a US resident, you will not be able to open an account with InstaForex anyway.

We are sorry for any inconvenience caused by this message.