GBP/USD Forecast: Pound Sterling recovery unlikely to go beyond technical correction
- GBP/USD clings to small gains near 1.3250 in the European session.
- The US Dollar's rally takes a break ahead of macroeconomic data releases.
- The technical outlook suggests bearish bias remains intact with a chance of a correction.
GBP/USD lost about 0.8% on Wednesday and touched its lowest level since mid-May, closing the fifth consecutive trading day in negative territory. The pair struggles to gather recovery momentum and trades at around 1.3250 in the European session on Thursday.
British Pound PRICE This week
The table below shows the percentage change of British Pound (GBP) against listed major currencies this week. British Pound was the weakest against the US Dollar.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | 2.73% | 1.40% | 1.27% | 0.98% | 1.86% | 1.73% | 1.97% | |
| EUR | -2.73% | -1.32% | -1.40% | -1.72% | -0.85% | -0.98% | -0.75% | |
| GBP | -1.40% | 1.32% | -0.26% | -0.40% | 0.47% | 0.35% | 0.57% | |
| JPY | -1.27% | 1.40% | 0.26% | -0.29% | 0.55% | 0.44% | 0.84% | |
| CAD | -0.98% | 1.72% | 0.40% | 0.29% | 0.86% | 0.75% | 0.98% | |
| AUD | -1.86% | 0.85% | -0.47% | -0.55% | -0.86% | -0.12% | 0.10% | |
| NZD | -1.73% | 0.98% | -0.35% | -0.44% | -0.75% | 0.12% | 0.23% | |
| CHF | -1.97% | 0.75% | -0.57% | -0.84% | -0.98% | -0.10% | -0.23% |
The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the British Pound from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the US Dollar, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent GBP (base)/USD (quote).
Robust macroeconomic data releases from the United States (US) and the Federal Reserve's (Fed) cautious tone on policy-easing fuelled a bullish rally in the US Dollar (USD) midweek, causing GBP/USD to decline sharply.
The US Bureau of Economic Analysis' (BEA) first estimate showed that the United States' (US) economy staged an impressive comeback following the 0.5% contraction seen in the first quarter. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew at an annual rate of 3% in the second quarter, surpassing the market expectation of 2.4%. Additionally, ADP Employment Change came in at 104,000 in July, beating analysts' estimate of 78,000 by a wide margin.
Later in the day, the Fed announced that it maintained the policy rate at the range of 4.25%-4.5% in a widely expected decision. The policy statement showed that Governor Christopher Waller and Governor Michelle Bowman dissented, preferring a 25 basis points (bps) rate cut, which was also anticipated.
In the post-meeting press conference, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell refrained from confirming a rate cut at the next meeting in September, citing heathy conditions in the labor market and explaining that the current policy stance as being appropriate to guard against inflation risks. Moreover, Powell said that the policy was not holding back the economy despite being still modestly restrictive.
According go the CME FedWatch Tool, the probability of a 25 basis points Fed rate cut in September dropped toward 40% from above-60% before the Fed event. In turn, US Treasury bond yields pushed higher and the USD outperformed its rivals during the American trading hours.
The BEA will release Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index data for June on Thursday. Powell said that they expect the annual PCE inflation and Core PCE inflation to come in at 2.5% and 2.7%, respectively. Weekly Initial Jobless Claims will also be featured in the US economic calendar. Ahead of Friday's critical July employment report, investors could remain hesitant to take large positions based on this data.
It's important to note that month-end flows on the last day of July could ramp up volatility toward the end of the European session and trigger irregular movements in the pair.
GBP/USD Technical Analysis
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) indicator on the 4-hour chart stays below 30 after the short-lasting recovery attempt, suggesting that GBP/USD remains technically oversold.
On the upside, 1.3300 (Fibonacci 78.6% retracement of the latest uptrend) aligns as the first resistance level before 1.3330 (static level) and 1.3400 (Fibonacci 61.8% retracement). Looking south, support levels could be seen at 1.3230 (static level), 1.3200 (static level, round level) and 1.3160 (beginning point of the uptrend).
Pound Sterling FAQs
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, also known as ‘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.
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Author
Eren Sengezer
FXStreet
As an economist at heart, Eren Sengezer specializes in the assessment of the short-term and long-term impacts of macroeconomic data, central bank policies and political developments on financial assets.
