GBP/USD extends recovery but remains on shaky ground

GBP/USD climbed 0.6% on Tuesday as tariff threats ease.
President Trump’s trade war threats are fading into the background.
Data remains mid-tier until BoE’s rate call on Thursday and Friday’s US NFP.

Joshua Gibson FXStreet

GBP/USD continued to grind higher on Tuesday, extending a recovery after the week’s early plunge on trade war concerns sparked by US President Donald Trump’s sweeping threats to impose stiff tariffs on his own constituents in an effort to punish some of the US’ closest trade allies. Tariffs, which were supposed to go into effect on Tuesday, have been kicked down the road another 30 days, marking President Trump’s third consecutive walk back of his own threats as he secures concessions that were largely already given to the previous administration.

The midweek session will be a thin affair on the economic data docket with geopolitical headlines fading into background noise as investors tune out President Trump’s long-winded diatribe of perceived grievances. Even if his tariff talk had a chance of materializing, the UK is unlikely to draw any specific trade ire from Donald Trump.

US ADP Employment Change figures are due on Wednesday, but the janky figure is unlikely to spark much momentum. US ISM Services Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) activity survey results for January are also expected, but the figure is forecast to shift to 54.3 from 54.1. The key US print this week will be Friday’s Nonfarm Payrolls, slated to ease to 170K from 256K.

The Bank of England’s (BoE) upcoming rate call on Thursday is broadly expected to deliver a quarter point cut to markets. With the US Federal Reserve (Fed) firmly embedded in a wait-and-see stance over inconsistent US policy, Cable’s interest rate differential is set to widen slightly this week, capping bullish potential.

GBP/USD price forecast

GBP/USD climbed a little over six-tenths of one percent, clawing back to 1.2480, but the pair still remains capped below the 1.2500 handle as the 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) weighs on near-term price action.

A successful break to the upside could send Cable bids back into the 200-day EMA at 1.2700, but a return to recent lows near 1.2100 is also on the cards as price action wastes a bullish turnaround in the Moving Average Convergence-Divergence (MACD) oscillator.

GBP/USD daily chart

Pound Sterling FAQs

What is the Pound Sterling?

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).

How do the decisions of the Bank of England impact on the Pound Sterling?

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.

How does economic data influence the value of the Pound?

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.

How does the Trade Balance impact the Pound?

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.

Author

Joshua Gibson

FXStreet

Joshua joins the FXStreet team as an Economics and Finance double major from Vancouver Island University with twelve years' experience as an independent trader focusing on technical analysis.

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