|

GBP/USD slides to fresh session lows, farther below 1.36 handle

   •  Weaker UK data prompts some profit-taking.
   •  Goodish USD rebound adds to the pressure. 
   •  US ISM PMI eyed ahead of FOMC minutes.

The GBP/USD pair extended its retracement from 3-1/2 month tops and has now dropped to fresh session lows, around the 1.3580-70 band. 

The pair failed to build on its early up-move beyond the 1.3600 handle and met with some fresh supply following the release of weaker UK construction PMI print, which added to disappointment from Tuesday's softer manufacturing sector activity data. 

Adding to this, a pickup in the greenback demand, with the key US Dollar Index staging a goodish rebound from multi-month lows, prompted some additional profit-taking and further collaborated to the pair's retracement through the European session on Wednesday.

From a technical perspective, the pair is retreating from an important technical barrier marked by 61.8% Fibonacci expansion level of 1.3062-1.3550 up-move and subsequent retracement. Hence, it would now be interesting to see if traders continue unwinding their positions ahead of today's important releases from the US.

Today's US economic docket features the release of ISM manufacturing PMI but is likely to be overshadowed by some repositioning trade ahead of the December FOMC meeting minutes, which would help investors to evaluate possibilities of 3 Fed rate hike moves in 2018 and eventually provide a fresh directional impetus.

Technical levels to watch

Immediate support is pegged near 1.3550-45 area, below which the corrective slide could get extended towards the key 1.35 psychological mark en-route the 1.3475 horizontal support.

On the upside, the 1.3600 handle now becomes an immediate hurdle, which if cleared should help the pair to build on its bullish momentum back towards Sept. 2017 swing highs resistance near the 1.3655-60 region.
 

Author

Haresh Menghani

Haresh Menghani is a detail-oriented professional with 10+ years of extensive experience in analysing the global financial markets.

More from Haresh Menghani
Share:

Editor's Picks

EUR/USD clings to humble gains around 1.1780

EUR/USD manages to reverse Tuesday’s pullback, sticking to daily gains around 1.1780 following an earlier bull run past 1.1800 the figure. The pair’s slight advance comes on the back of the equally marginal uptick in the US Dollar, as investors continue to closely follow developments on the trade front and news from the White House.

GBP/USD flirts with weekly tops north of 1.3500

GBP/USD leaves behind the previous day’s decline and regains fresh upside traction on Wednesday, surpassing the 1.3500 barrier in a context of a marginal advance in the Greenback and a generalised improved mood in the risk-associated universe. Meanwhile, the US tariff narrative continues to dictate the mood among market participants.

Gold picks up pace, focus on $5,200

Gold buyers are stepping back in on Wednesday, with sights set on $5,200 and potentially higher, after Tuesday’s pullback from monthly highs. The yellow metal’s recovery follows some loss of momentum in the US Dollar after Trump’s SOTU speech failed to deliver fresh impetus and AI-related jitters continue to fade.

Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple post cautious recovery amid downside risks

Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple are posting a cautious recovery on Wednesday following a market correction earlier this week.  BTC is approaching a key breakdown level, while ETH and XRP are rebounding from crucial support levels.

Nvidia remains at the heart of the AI boom

Nvidia remains at the heart of the AI boom, with Q4 revenue projected near $65.6–66.1 billion, nearly 70% higher year-over-year. But investors are watching cash flow, leverage, and broader AI adoption. Growth is strong, but the AI stress isn’t over.

Cosmos Hub Price Forecast: ATOM rebounds slightly, bearish outlook remains intact

Cosmos Hub (ATOM) price rebounds, trading above $2.05 at the time of writing on Wednesday, after undergoing a sharp correction since last week. Weakening on-chain and derivatives data support a bearish outlook, while technical analysis remains unfavorable.