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GBP/USD climbs on falling US yields, upbeat market mood

  • GBP/USD surges amid risk-on sentiment, despite hawkish Fed.
  • Powell's hawkish stance and strong US data boost Dollar, yet global easing hopes support Pound.
  • Fed's Mester hints at potential rate changes with further inflation decline, underscoring policy debates.
  • UK construction sector remains robust; BoE's Pill comments on monetary easing timing affect GBP.

The GBP/USD recovered some ground against the US dollar on Tuesday during the mid-North American session amid a risk-on impulse and falling US Treasury bond yields. Investors seem confident that most global central banks will ease monetary policy, even though Fed Chair Jerome Powell pushed back against easing in March. At the time of writing, the pair exchanges hands at 1.2594.

Pound Sterling gains ground amid soft US Dollar

Despite staging a comeback, the Pound Sterling remains pressured after the US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's remarks suggest the Fed is in no rush to cut rates. That strong US ISM Manufacturing and Non-Manufacturing PMI posting solid data and an outstanding January Nonfarm Payrolls report sponsored a leg-up in the Greenback.

US Treasury bond yields climbed more than 20 basis points since last Friday and yesterday. Traders in the futures market estimate the Fed will ease policy 125 basis points throughout the year, less than the 168-bps estimated on January 12.

Recently, Cleveland’s Fed President Loretta Mester said she’s open to rate cuts if it´s clear that inflation is easing futher. She states that monetary policy is in good place. Mester added “If inflation appears to be stalling at a level above our goal, we would have the opportunity to maintain a restrictive stance for longer.”

Across the pond, S&P Global Construction PMI in January was solid, though it stood at recessionary territory despite exceeding estimates and December’s data.

In the meantime, the Bank of England (BoE) Chief Economist Huw Pill said “The debate has a bit shifted toward asking: 'when is the point when we will have seen enough accumulated evidence that ... we can begin to reduce the level of restriction in monetary policy in the economy and start to cut Bank Rate?”

GBP/USD Price Analysis: Technical outlook

The daily chart portrays the major trading sideways, though at the brisk of GBP/USD buyers reclaiming the 200-day moving average (DMA) at 1.2560. A daily close above the latter will expose 1.2600, followed by the 50-DMA at 1.2675. On the other hand, if sellers keep the exchange rate below 1.2600, that could pave the way to retest the 200-DMA and the 1.2527 daily low. Further downside is seen at 1.2469, the 100-DMA.

GBP/USD

Overview
Today last price1.2595
Today Daily Change0.0057
Today Daily Change %0.45
Today daily open1.2538
 
Trends
Daily SMA201.2695
Daily SMA501.268
Daily SMA1001.2475
Daily SMA2001.2564
 
Levels
Previous Daily High1.2639
Previous Daily Low1.2518
Previous Weekly High1.2773
Previous Weekly Low1.2614
Previous Monthly High1.2786
Previous Monthly Low1.2597
Daily Fibonacci 38.2%1.2564
Daily Fibonacci 61.8%1.2593
Daily Pivot Point S11.2491
Daily Pivot Point S21.2445
Daily Pivot Point S31.2371
Daily Pivot Point R11.2611
Daily Pivot Point R21.2685
Daily Pivot Point R31.2732

Author

Christian Borjon Valencia

Markets analyst, news editor, and trading instructor with over 14 years of experience across FX, commodities, US equity indices, and global macro markets.

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