Created
: 2024.09.23
2024.09.23 18:41
The Pound Sterling (GBP) falls sharply on Monday, driven by weaker-than-expected preliminary United Kingdom (UK) S&P Global Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) data for September and dismal market sentiment. The British currency underperforms against its major peers, except for the Euro (EUR), which has also been weighed down by the unexpected decline into contraction territory of the Eurozone PMI.
The UK Composite PMI came in at 52.9, down from 53.8 in August, suggesting that economic activity in the UK expanded at a slower pace. The indexes for both the manufacturing and the service sectors declined more than expected.
Still, the impact of the slower growth suggested by the PMI data is expected to remain limited considering comments from Chris Williamson, Chief Business Economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, who appears to be upbeat on the overall economic outlook.
"A slight cooling of output growth across manufacturing and services in September should not be seen as too concerning, as the survey data are still consistent with the economy growing at a rate approaching 0.3% in the third quarter, which is in line with the Bank of England's forecast," Williamson said.
Going forward, the Pound Sterling's valuation will be guided by market expectations over the Bank of England (BoE) interest-rate outlook. Traders expect the BoE to cut only once in the remaining two monetary policy meetings this year. The BoE kept its key borrowing rates unchanged at 5% last Thursday, with an 8-1 vote split, after cutting them by 25 basis points (bps) in August.
The Pound Sterling drops to near 1.3250 against the US Dollar in European trading hours. However, the near-term outlook of the GBP/USD pair remains firm as it holds above the 20-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) near 1.3150. Earlier, the Cable strengthened after recovering from a corrective move to near the trendline plotted from the December 28, 2023, high of 1.2828, from where it delivered a sharp increase after a breakout on August 21.
The 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) falls slightly but remains above 60.00, suggesting an active bullish momentum.
Looking up, the Cable will face resistance near the psychological level of 1.3500. On the downside, the psychological level of 1.3000 emerges as crucial support.
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, aka '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.
Created
: 2024.09.23
Last updated
: 2024.09.23
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