|

GBP/USD Forecast: Losing support, just like PM May, as cross-party talks continue

  • GBP/USD is trading below 1.3000, flirting with 6-week lows.
  • The focus remains on Brexit, amid plots to oust PM May.
  • The technical picture is quite bearish for the pair.

GBP/USD is trading around 1.2980, close to the lowest levels since March 11th. It traded in a narrow range in the long Easter weekend and is now making its way down. US Dollar strength is part of the story, but Brexit also weighs.

Talks between the government and the opposition continued last week, but without yielding any results. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said that there is no agreement on a customs union. PM Theresa May is trying to balance between the pro-Brexit wing of her Conservative Party and those that support remaining or at least closer ties with the EU.

As Parliament reconvenes after a recess, there are fresh reports about attempts to oust the PM. A "senior Tory lawmaker" is reportedly behind the plot. According to party rules, MPs will have to wait until December to hold a vote of no-confidence. However, if a vast majority show May the door, she will have to walk out. The reports weigh on Sterling.

There are no events scheduled on the UK calendar, leaving the focus on Brexit. In the US, New Home Sales are forecast to slide in March from the annualized level of 667K in February. Existing Home Sales, Building Permits, and Housing Starts all fell short of expectations.

All in all, politics are set to dominate. 

GBP/USD Technical Analysis

GBP/USD Technical Analysis April 23 2019

GBP/USD lost the long-standing uptrend support line that accompanied it since mid-March. In addition, Momentum remains to the downside and the Relative Strength Index is leaning lower. All in all, the picture is quite bearish for the pair.

Initial support awaits at 1.2975 which was the low point in late March. A drop below this level will send the pair to the lowest since March 11th. Back then, cable hit a low of 1.2960. Further down, we are back to levels seen in mid-February. 1.2895 separated ranges back then. 1.2830 is next.

Initial resistance is at 1.3015 that was a high point in recent days. 1.3030 provided support in early April and now works as resistance. 1.3070 was a peak in mid-April, and 1.3125 capped cable several times during this month.

Author

Yohay Elam

Yohay Elam

FXStreet

Yohay is in Forex since 2008 when he founded Forex Crunch, a blog crafted in his free time that turned into a fully-fledged currency website later sold to Finixio.

More from Yohay Elam
Share:

Editor's Picks

GBP/USD weakens to two-week lows near 1.3520

GBP/USD trades on the back foot, returning to the low 1.3500s, or two-week troughs, on Tuesday. Cable’s bearish price action follows decent gains in the Greenback at the time when investors assess latest US data releases and the persistent uncertainty in the US-Iran crisis.

EUR/USD remains offered; breaks below 1.1600

EUR/USD now accelerates its daily correction, breaching below the key 1.1600 support level on Tuesday. The pair’s daily correction comes on the back of a decent bounce in the US Dollar despite disappointing US data releases and amid persistent geopolitical concerns.

Gold flirts with multi-week lows near $4,300

Gold accelerates its correction and recedes toward the key $4,300 mark per troy ounce on Tuesday. The yellow metal’s persistent decline comes in response to the solid performance of the US Dollar and a sharp move higher in US Treasury yields across the curve.

Bitcoin and Gold Outlook: Bitcoin broadly consolidates, Gold falls as US JOLTS Job Openings rise
Bitcoin (BTC) maintains sideways trading around the immediate $78,000 support on Tuesday. The Crypto King outlook shows signs of cooling after the recent rally above $81,000. However, its downside remains protected, with major moving averages providing support and steady capital inflows absorbing some selling pressure.
Global bond market sell off haunts markets

Global sovereign bonds are selling off as we start a new month. The UK is, unsurprisingly, taking the biggest hit. Two and 10-year yields rose by 10 basis points at one point on Tuesday, and are currently higher by 7 and 8bps respectively.

Diesel’s record $100 warning: The oil shock hiding in plain sight

The Oil market may look calmer than it did a few months ago, but diesel is sending a very different message. The US diesel crack spread, the premium of ultra-low sulphur diesel futures over WTI, recently surged above $100 per barrel for the first time, reaching an intraday record of just over $102.00.