|

GBP/USD juggles below 1.2500 as investors await Fed’s rate policy and US ADP job data

  • GBP/USD is oscillating in a narrow range below 1.2500 ahead of Fed policy and US private Employment data.
  • S&P500 futures have added more losses in early Asia as anxiety among investors is deepening ahead of Fed policy.
  • Higher chances of a 12th straight interest rate hike from the BoE have trimmed UK inflation expectations.

The GBP/USD pair is showing back-and-forth action in a narrow range below the psychological resistance of 1.2500 in the early Asian session. The Cable is demonstrating a volatility contraction, however, a power-pack action is expected ahead of the interest rate decision by the Federal Reserve (Fed) and the United States Automatic Data Processing (ADP) Employment data.

S&P500 futures have added more losses in early Asia as anxiety among market participants ahead of the Fed’s interest rate policy is deepening. An elevation in the risk aversion market mood is expected to impact risk-sensitive assets further.

The US Dollar Index (DXY) is making efforts for breaking above the immediate resistance of 102.20. An expectation of one more interest rate hike from the Fed is improving the appeal for the USD Index as safe-haven. Fed chair Jerome Powell is widely anticipated to announce a consecutive 25 basis point (bp) interest rate hike, however, investors will keep focusing on further roadmap for taming the sticky core Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Solid expectations for an interest rate hike from the Fed have heavily impacted demand for US government bonds. This has accelerated 10-year US Treasury yields to 3.57%.

Apart from the Fed’s interest rate policy, Wednesday’s US ADP Employment data will be keenly watched. As per the consensus, the US economy added 150K jobs in April lower than the former addition of 145K.

On the Pound Sterling front, soaring odds of a further interest rate hike from the Bank of England (BoE) have eased United Kingdom’s inflation expectations. BoE Governor Andrew Bailey is expected to raise interest rates straight for the 12th time to strengthen its defense against double-digit inflation. Citi said its monthly survey conducted by market research company YouGov showed public expectations for inflation in 12 months' time eased to 5.2% in April from 5.4% in March and expectations for five to 10 years ahead fell to 3.6% from 3.7%, as reported by Reuters.

GBP/USD

Overview
Today last price1.2492
Today Daily Change-0.0077
Today Daily Change %-0.61
Today daily open1.2569
 
Trends
Daily SMA201.2451
Daily SMA501.2251
Daily SMA1001.2212
Daily SMA2001.194
 
Levels
Previous Daily High1.2584
Previous Daily Low1.2446
Previous Weekly High1.2584
Previous Weekly Low1.2387
Previous Monthly High1.2584
Previous Monthly Low1.2275
Daily Fibonacci 38.2%1.2531
Daily Fibonacci 61.8%1.2499
Daily Pivot Point S11.2482
Daily Pivot Point S21.2396
Daily Pivot Point S31.2345
Daily Pivot Point R11.262
Daily Pivot Point R21.267
Daily Pivot Point R31.2757

Author

Sagar Dua

Sagar Dua

FXStreet

Sagar Dua is associated with the financial markets from his college days. Along with pursuing post-graduation in Commerce in 2014, he started his markets training with chart analysis.

More from Sagar Dua
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 recovers to 1.1750 region as 2025 draws to a close

Following the bearish action seen in the European session on Wednesday, EUR/USD regains its traction and recovery to the 1.1750 region. Nevertheless, the pair's volatility remains low as trading conditions thin out on the last day of the year.

GBP/USD stays weak near 1.3450 on modest USD recovery

GBP/USD remains under modest beairsh pressure and fluctuates at around 1.3450 on Wednesday. The US Dollar finds fresh demand due to the end-of-the-year position adjustments, weighing on the pair amid the pre-New Year trading lull. 

Gold retreats to $4,300 area, looks to post monthly gains

Gold stays on the back foot on the last day of 2025 and trades near $4,300, possibly pressured by profit-taking and position adjustments. Nevertheless, XAU/USD remains on track to post gains for December and extend its winning streak into a fifth consecutive month.

Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP prepare for a potential New Year rebound

Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple are holding steady on Wednesday after recording minor gains on the previous day. Technically, Bitcoin could extend gains within a triangle pattern while Ethereum and Ripple face critical overhead resistance. 

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).