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Brexit week: Get set for a rollercoaster of a week in GBP-FX

  • its all eyes on sterling at the start of this week with the Brexit vote this week and there are concerns that the deal will be defeated - Subsequently, sterling dropped on the open today.
  • MPs will pass their verdict on Prime Minister Theresa May's plan to take Britain out of the European Union on 29 March this Tuesday.

Cable opened with a bearish gap of over half a buck as traders get positioned for a bumpy ride this week. MPs will pass their verdict on Prime Minister Theresa May's plan to take Britain out of the European Union on 29 March this Tuesday.

Here is some information you should know if you intend trading the event.

Firstly, the vote will be held on Tuesday evening, following a full day of debate in the Commons - the time of the vote will be announced in due course.

This is THE vote and if the deal is voted down, its got to be one of two things:

  • The UK will either leave the EU on 29 March without a withdrawal agreement, or;
  • The departure date will be delayed.

However, should MPs support the deal, a permanent deal will then be negotiated while things will stay broadly as they are until December 2020 following Brexit that will occur on  29 March.

Markets suspect that despite the UK's government minister's attempts to persuade the EU into making concessions in order to get a deal through Parliament and acceptable to the MPs who voted against it in January, the deal will indeed be voted down on only minor tweaks to the existing agreement that was so badly defeated last time around. 

However, while an initial punt to the downside in the pound on such sentiment is taking place, considering that MPs were promised a vote on whether the UK should leave without a deal or not, which would probably happen the following day, such an outcome would support the case for a delay to Brexit from the EU, so long as they do not back a no-deal Brexit - that vote will likely be on Thursday. 

However, should May only lose by a small margin, the EU might be inclined to offer the UK some more time to get it over the line - The next EU summit in on 22 March which is where May would likely use as a platform to spur-up further support before she takes it back to The Commons for one final shove to the line.

Author

Ross J Burland

Ross J Burland, born in England, UK, is a sportsman at heart. He played Rugby and Judo for his county, Kent and the South East of England Rugby team.

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