GBP/USD Forecast: Bears eyeing a break of 1.2170

Valeria Bednarik FXStreet

GBP/USD Current price: 1.2222

UK economic growth contracted by 2.0% in the three months to March.
Industrial production and manufacturing production fell by less than anticipated in March.
GBP/USD is nearing the 38.2% retracement of its latest daily run at around 1.2175.

The GBP/USD pair surged intraday to 1.2339 but ended up collapsing to 1.2209 afresh monthly low. The UK macroeconomic figures came in mixed, as Manufacturing Production plunged by 4.6% in March, while Industrial Production declined by 4.2%, both better than anticipated, although still indicating a steep contraction. Same happened with economic growth, as the UK economy contracted 2.0% in the three months to March, better than the -2.5% expected. The Goods Trade Balance, in the meantime, posted a deficit £ 12.508 B in March, much worse than anticipated. The later decline of the pair was the result of the resurgent dollar’s demand. The UK won’t release macroeconomic data this Thursday.

GBP/USD short-term technical outlook

The GBP/USD pair has closed in the red for a third consecutive day, a handful of pips above the mentioned low. The pair has turned bearish short-term, as the 4-hour chart shows that it plunged well below a bearish 20 SMA, after a failed attempt to advance above it. Furthermore, the 100 SMA is below the 200 SMA, both above the shorter one. Technical indicators, in the meantime, have bounced modestly from near oversold levels, but remain within negative levels. The main support is now the 1.2170 price zone, where the pair has the 38.2% retracement of its latest daily advance.

Support levels: 1.2200 1.2170 1.2130

Resistance levels: 1.2265 1.2310 1.2355

View Live Chart for the GBP/USD

Author

Valeria Bednarik

FXStreet

Valeria Bednarik was born and lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Her passion for math and numbers pushed her into studying economics in her younger years.

EUR/USD flirts with daily highs, retargets 1.1900

EUR/USD regains upside traction, returning to the 1.1880 zone and refocusing its attention to the key 1.1900 barrier. The pair’s slight gains comes against the backdrop of a humble decline in the US Dollar as investors continue to assess the latest US CPI readings and the potential Fed’s rate path.

GBP/USD remains well bid around 1.3650

GBP/USD maintains its upside momentum in place, hovering around daily highs near 1.3650 and setting aside part of the recent three-day drop. Cable’s improved sentiment comes on the back of the Greenback’s irresolute price action, while recent hawkish comments from the BoE’s Pill also collaborate with the uptick.

Gold clings to gains just above $5,000/oz

Gold is reclaiming part of the ground lost on Wednesday’s marked decline, as bargain-hunters keep piling up and lifting prices past the key $5,000 per troy ounce. The precious metal’s move higher is also underpinned by the slight pullback in the US Dollar and declining US Treasury yields across the curve.

Crypto Today: Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP in choppy price action, weighed down by falling institutional interest

Bitcoin's upside remains largely constrained amid weak technicals and declining institutional interest. Ethereum trades sideways above $1,900 support with the upside capped below $2,000 amid ETF outflows.

Week ahead – Data blitz, Fed Minutes and RBNZ decision in the spotlight

US GDP and PCE inflation are main highlights, plus the Fed minutes. UK and Japan have busy calendars too with focus on CPI. Flash PMIs for February will also be doing the rounds. RBNZ meets, is unlikely to follow RBA’s hawkish path.

Ripple Price Forecast: XRP potential bottom could be in sight

Ripple edges up above the intraday low of $1.35 at the time of writing on Friday amid mixed price actions across the crypto market. The remittance token failed to hold support at $1.40 the previous day, reflecting risk-off sentiment amid a decline in retail and institutional sentiment.