|

GBP: No risk premium ahead of UK Budget – ING

The Pound Sterling (GBP) is in full wait-and-see mode ahead of tomorrow’s Budget announcement by Chancellor Rachel Reeves. There are two technical factors to consider ahead of a potential market-adverse reaction in the pound tomorrow, OCBC’s FX analysts Frances Cheung and Christopher Wong note.

Risks remain skewed to a move to 1.2800-1.2850

“First, there is no political risk premium priced into sterling at the moment, with our model returning a short-term EUR/GBP fair value at 0.834. Remember that in previous instances of political/gilt-related turmoil in the UK, the EUR/GBP risk premium was around 3-5%.”

“Secondly, the latest CFTC figures show speculators are still extensively long on the pound. As of 22 October, net-long GBP positions were the largest in G10 (32% of open interest), having resisted the rotation back into the dollar observed in other developed currencies.”

“GBP/USD continues to look vulnerable ahead of tomorrow’s Budget event and next week’s US election, and risks remain skewed to a move to 1.2800-1.2850.”

Author

FXStreet Insights Team

The FXStreet Insights Team is a group of journalists that handpicks selected market observations published by renowned experts. The content includes notes by commercial as well as additional insights by internal and external analysts.

More from FXStreet Insights Team
Share:

Editor's Picks

EUR/USD deflates to fresh lows, targets 1.1600

The selling pressure on EUR/USD now gathers extra pace, prompting the pair to hit fresh multi-week lows in the 1.1625-1.1620 band on Friday. The continuation of the downward bias comes in response to further gains in the US Dollar as market participants continue to assess the mixed release of US Nonfarm Payrolls in December.

GBP/USD breaks below 1.3400, challenges the 200-day SMA

GBP/USD remains under heavy fire and retreats for the fourth consecutive day on Friday. Indeed, Cable suffers the strong performance of the Greenback, intensified post-mixed NFP, and trades at shouting distance from its critical 200-day SMA near 1.3380.

Gold flirts with yearly tops around $4,500

Gold keeps its positive bias on Friday, adding to Thursday’s advance and challenging yearly highs in the $4,500 region per troy ounce. The risk-off sentiment favours the yellow metal despite the firmer tone in the Greenback and rising US Treasury yields.

Crypto Today: Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP risk further decline as market fear persists amid slowing demand

Bitcoin holds $90,000 but stays below the 50-day EMA as institutional demand wanes. Ethereum steadies above $3,000 but remains structurally weak due to ETF outflows. XRP ETFs resume inflows, but the price struggles to gain ground above key support.

Week ahead – US CPI might challenge the geopolitics-boosted Dollar

Geopolitics may try to steal the limelight from US data. A possible US Supreme Court ruling on tariffs could dictate market movements. A crammed data calendar next week, US CPI comes on Tuesday; Fedspeak to intensify.

XRP trades under pressure amid weak retail demand

XRP presses down on the 50-day EMA support as risk-averse sentiment spreads despite a positive start to 2026. XRP faces declining retail demand, as reflected in futures Open Interest, which has fallen to $4.15 billion.