|

GBP/USD holds above 100-day MA ahead of the Fed

  • GBP/USD has found acceptance above the 100-day MA, having defended a key Fibonacci support on Friday.
  • The pair could challenge recent highs if the Fed reaffirms gradual rate hike path.

The GBP/USD technicals have regained bullish bias ahead of the all-important Federal Reserve rate decision.

The currency pair closed above the 100-day moving average (MA) hurdle yesterday, having defended 1.3055 (38.2% Fib R of 1.2662/1.3299) on Friday. Further, the short-term MAs (10-day and 5-day) are trending north, indicating a bullish setup.  As a result, the stage looks set for a re-test of the recent high of 1.3299.

However, the bullish technical setup will likely fail if the Fed signals low tolerance for above-target inflation and willingness to push rates above the neutral level of 2.87 percent.

On the other hand, the GBP/USD may pick up a strong bid if the Fed reaffirms gradual rate hike path despite rising oil prices and sounds cautious about the impact that trade tensions could have on wages and capital spending.

The US central bank is set to raise rates by 25 basis points today and markets have already priced in two more rate hikes this year. At press time, the spot is trading at 1.3180.

GBP/USD Technical Levels

Resistance: 1.3194 (resistance of previous day's high on the hourly chart), 1.3213 (July 26 high), 1.3299 (Sept. 20 high)

Support: 1.3143 (100-day MA), 1.3055 (38.2% Fib R of 1.2662/1.3299), .30 (psychological level)

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:

Markets move fast. We move first.

Orange Juice Newsletter brings you expert driven insights - not headlines. Every day on your inbox.

By subscribing you agree to our Terms and conditions.

Editor's Picks

EUR/USD softens below 1.1750 after Fed Minutes

The EUR/USD pair attracts some sellers near 1.1745 during the early Asian session on Wednesday. The US Dollar edges higher against the Euro after the release of minutes from the Federal Reserve's December meeting. The US Initial Jobless Claims report will be released later in the day. Trading volumes are expected to remain thin ahead of the New Year holidays.

GBP/USD trades flat above 1.3450 amid thin trading volume

The GBP/USD pair holds steady around 1.3465 during the early Asian trading hours on Wednesday. However, the Bank of England guided that monetary policy will remain on a gradual downward path, which might underpin the Cable against the US Dollar. Financial markets are expected to trade on thin volumes as traders prepare for the New Year holiday.

Gold stable above $4,350 as the year comes to an end

Gold price got to recover some modest ground on Tuesday, holding on to intraday gains and changing hands at $4,360 a troy ounce in the American afternoon. The bright metal showed no reaction to the release of the FOMC December meeting minutes.

Ethereum: ETH holds above $2,900 despite rising selling activity

Ethereum (ETH) held the $2,900 level despite seeing increased selling pressure over the past week. The Exchange Netflow metric showed deposits outweighed withdrawals by about 400K ETH. The high value suggests rising selling activity amid the holiday season.

Economic outlook 2026-2027 in advanced countries: Solidity test

After a year marked by global economic resilience and ending on a note of optimism, 2026 looks promising and could be a year of solid economic performance. In our baseline scenario, we expect most of the supportive factors at work in 2025 to continue to play a role in 2026.

Crypto market outlook for 2026

Year 2025 was volatile, as crypto often is.  Among positive catalysts were favourable regulatory changes in the U.S., rise of Digital Asset Treasuries (DAT), adoption of AI and tokenization of Real-World-Assets (RWA).