|

GBP/USD Forecast: darting back towards 1.3600 handle ahead of NFP

The GBP/USD pair built on previous session's rebound from the 1.35 neighborhood and traded with a positive bias for the second consecutive session. Yesterday's up-move was supported by better-than-expected UK services PMI and got an additional boost from some renewed US Dollar selling bias, despite stronger ADP report on the US private sector employment. 

There isn't any market-moving economic data due for release from the UK and hence, the USD price dynamics would remain an exclusive driver of the pair's momentum ahead of today's key non-farm payrolls data. 

From a technical perspective, the pair remains within a broader trading range between the 1.3500-1.3600 region and hence, it would be prudent to wait for a decisive break in either direction before positioning for the next leg of directional move.

From current levels, the 1.3600 handle, marking 61.8% Fibonacci expansion level of 1.3062-1.3550 up-move, and subsequent retracement, might continue to act as immediate strong resistance, which if conquered sets the stage for an extension of the pair's near-term bullish momentum back towards 2017 yearly tops resistance near the 1.3655-60 region.

On the flip side, bulls might continue to defend a short-term descending trend-line resistance break area, now turned support, near the 1.3500-1.3490 region, below which the pair is likely to accelerate the corrective slide back towards 1.3435-30 zone en-route the 1.3400 handle and 1.3385 horizontal support.

Author

Haresh Menghani

Haresh Menghani is a detail-oriented professional with 10+ years of extensive experience in analysing the global financial markets.

More from Haresh Menghani
Share:

Editor's Picks

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.