|

GBP/USD - Bearish continuation pattern confirmed, eyes UK services PMI

  • GBP/USD daily chart shows the bearish flag breakdown.
  • The immediate focus on the UK services PMI release.

GBP/USD closed below 100-day MA on Thursday, courtesy of the Bank of England's (BOE) dovish rate hike. The spot closed at 1.3058 and traded around 1.3070 in Asia.

Bearish continuation pattern

A downside break of the inverted or bearish flag pattern indicates the sell-off from Sep. 20 high of 1.3657 has resumed. As per the measured height method, the downside break of the flag has opened doors for 1.2440 levels.

Focus on the UK services PMI

UK services PMI, due at 09:30 GMT, is expected to show the pace of expansion in the service sector activity cooled slightly to 53.3 in October from the September reading of 653.6.

A better-than-expected UK services may help Cable trim post-BOE loses. On the other hand, a weaker-than-expected services PMI would add credence to BOE's dovish forward guidance and could yield a drop below 1.30 handle.

Later in the day, the US wage growth numbers, due at 18:00 GMT, could yield big moves in the USD pairs.

GBP/USD Technical Levels

FXStreet Chief Analyst Valeria Bednarik writes - "The pair's 4 hours chart supports further declines ahead, as technical indicators barely decelerated their downward momentum once reaching oversold readings, where they stand, after the price broke below all of its moving averages, also below  all of the Fibonacci that limited price action this last month."

Support levels: 1.3026 1.2985 1.2950

Resistance levels: 1.3075 1.3110 1.3150

Author

Omkar Godbole

Omkar Godbole

FXStreet Contributor

Omkar Godbole, editor and analyst, joined FXStreet after four years as a research analyst at several Indian brokerage companies.

More from Omkar Godbole
Share:

Editor's Picks

GBP/USD appears well offered near 1.3160

GBP/USD builds on Tuesday’s losses, although it now manages to pick up some pace and bounce off earlier multi-month troughs near 1.3140. The Greenback’s solid performance and continued political turmoil in the UK are keeping Cable under persistent pressure, with little sign of a meaningful recovery.

EUR/USD softens to near 1.1350 as Fed hike bets rise ahead of PCE inflation data

The EUR/USD pair declines to around 1.1355 during the early Asian trading hours on Thursday. The Euro weakens to its lowest level since June 2025 against the US Dollar as traders increase their bets on US interest rate hikes later this year. The US May Personal Consumption Expenditures inflation data will be the highlight on Thursday. 

Gold off YTD lows, still struggles around $4,000 on hawkish Fed bets

Gold is off year-to-date lows, still struggling around $4,000 in the Asian session on Thursday as bears pause following the overnight slump to the lowest level since November 2025. Despite easing inflationary concerns amid falling oil prices, elevated Fed rate-hike bets help the US Dollar preserve its recent strong gains to the highest level since May 2025, weighing on non-yielding bullion.

Crypto market sheds over 50% of its value amid Bitcoin's brief decline below $60K
The crypto market has erased more than half of its value since reaching an all-time high in late 2025. The decline underscores the severity of the recent bear market and lack of a fresh catalyst to revive investor interest, according to a Wednesday X post by The Kobeissi Letter. The total crypto market cap peaked at a record $4.3 trillion on October 6, 2025.
5.90% to 5.45%: Why the Pound ignored the bond market’s relief rally
Keir Starmer resigned on Monday, and the Pound barely moved. That near-silence is the tell. Sterling's real driver these past four months has not been the prime minister, nor the left-leaning frontrunner lining up to replace him, but the long end of the gilt curve, which answers to a force no British politician controls.
Regime change: Inside Kevin Warsh's first move to make the Fed unreadable on purpose

The rate did not move. That was the least interesting thing about Kevin Warsh's first meeting in charge of the Fed. The FOMC held its benchmark at 3.50%-3.75% for the fourth straight meeting, exactly as priced, and then the new chair used his first press conference to dismantle the machinery the market has leaned on for a decade.