- GBP/USD struggles to gain any meaningful traction and oscillates in a narrow band on Monday.
- Traders now seem reluctant to place fresh bets ahead of this week’s key central bank event risks.
- Bets for smaller Fed rate hikes continue to undermine the USD and lend some support to the pair.
The GBP/USD pair kicks off the new week on a subdued note and seesaws between tepid gains/minor losses through the early European session. The pair remains confined in a multi-day-old trading range and is currently placed just below the 1.2400 round-figure mark.
Traders now seem to have moved to the sidelines ahead of this week's central bank event risks, which, in turn, fails to provide any meaningful impetus to the GB/USD pair. The Federal Reserve is scheduled to announce its decision at the end of a two-day policy meeting on Wednesday. This will be followed by the latest monetary policy update by the Bank of England (BoE) on Thursday and will help determine the next leg of a directional move for the major.
In the meantime, speculations that elevated consumer inflation will force the Bank of England (BoE) to continue lifting rates offer some support to the British Pound. This, along with the underlying bearish sentiment surrounding the US Dollar, acts as a tailwind for the GBP/USD pair. In fact, the USD Index, which tracks the Greenback against a basket of currencies, languishes near a nine-month low amid bets for smaller rate hikes by the Fed.
Investors now seem convinced that the US central bank will soften its hawkish stance amid signs of easing inflationary pressures. The expectations were reaffirmed by Friday's release of the Fed's preferred inflation gauge - the Core PCE Price Index from the US, which fell to the 4.4% YoY rate in December from 4.7% previous. Other US macro data released recently, however, backed the case for the Fed to maintain its hawkish stance for longer.
Hence, investors will look for cues about the Fed's future rate hikes, which will play a key role in influencing the USD price dynamics and provide a fresh directional impetus to the GBP/USD pair. Heading into the key event risk, spot prices seem more likely to prolong the consolidative price move in the absence of any relevant market-moving economic releases, either from the UK or the US on Monday.
Technical levels to watch
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.
The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
Recommended content
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD trades weak below 1.0800 amid Good Friday lull, ahead of US PCE
EUR/USD remains depressed below 1.0800, as traders lack directional impetus amid minimal volatility and thin liquidity on Good Friday. The pair keenly awaits the US PCE inflation data and Fed Chair Powell's speech for fresh hints on next week's price action.
GBP/USD holds steady above 1.2600 as markets stay calm on Good Friday
GBP/USD trades sideways above 1.2600 amid a typical Good Friday trading lull. A broadly firmer US Dollar could keep any upside attempts limited in the pair ahead of the US PCE inflation data and Fed Chair Powell's appearance.
Gold ends Q1 2024 at record highs, what’s next?
Gold is sitting at an all-time high of $2,236, lacking a trading impetus amid holiday-thinned conditions on Good Friday. Most major world markets, including the United States are closed in observance of Holy Friday, leaving volatility around Gold price highly subdued.
Ripple's move above this key level could trigger nearly 50% rally for XRP
Ripple price has overcome a critical resistance level and flipped into a support floor on the weekly time frame. This development happened while XRP tightly consolidated for roughly 250 days.
US core PCE inflation set to ease in February on month as Federal Reserve rate cut bets for June mount
The core Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index is set to rise 0.3% MoM and 2.8% YoY in February. The revised Summary of Projections showed that policymakers upwardly revised end-2024 core PCE forecast to 2.6% from 2.4%.