|

GBP/USD struggles around 1.3060 as investors await May-Juncker meet

  • The GBP/USD pair trades around 1.3060 ahead of the London open on Wednesday.
  • Investors remain cautious as the UK PM Theresa May heads Brussels to meet EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker for Brexit talks.
  • The pair has 1.3080 and 1.3050 as immediate barriers with 1.3110 and 1.2990 likely following numbers to expected during either side break.

The British Pound (GBP) trades near 1.3060 versus the US Dollar (USD) heading towards European open on Wednesday. The pair struggles to extend previous moves as investors await details of the meeting between the UK Prime Minister Theresa May and the EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker.

The meeting will be PM May’s one of many attempts to regain British politician’s support via a Brexit deal after her initial proposal was badly rejected in the parliament during last month.

Off-late the Irish border issue has been in limelight amid the EU’s unwillingness to re-negotiate the backstop option suggested by May whereas diplomats at home are searching for alternatives to the same.

During her visit to Brussels, PM May is expected to push Juncker towards re-negotiation and/or possible solution to the Irish border in order to win confidence at home.

The Guardian reported May expecting a breakthrough from a meeting whereas another UK daily, Evening Standard, reported that Juncker isn’t expecting any breakthrough from the fresh talks.

While confusing signs from both the leaders are increasing uncertainty for the GBP traders, any developments from the meeting would be taken seriously to determine near-term Pound moves.

On ther other hand, minutes of the US Federal Reserve's January 30 meeting will also play its role to direct near-term GBP/USD moves. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) left monetary policy unchanged at the latest meeting but conveyed bearish bias towards furture policy moves. Traders will observe the minutes for details on how strongly Fed policymakers favor/unfavor Fed rate changes.

GBP/USD Technical Analysis

A sustained break of 1.3080 can enable the GBP/USD pair to aim for 1.3110 and then rise to 1.3135 but 1.3215 could challenge further upside.

On the downside break of 1.3050 immediate support, 1.2990 and 1.2940 may gain sellers’ attention.

Author

Anil Panchal

Anil Panchal

FXStreet

Anil Panchal has nearly 15 years of experience in tracking financial markets. With a keen interest in macroeconomics, Anil aptly tracks global news/updates and stays well-informed about the global financial moves and their implications.

More from Anil Panchal
Share:

Editor's Picks

GBP/USD clings to daily gains near 1.3350

GBP/USD holds just in positive territory around 1.3350 on Friday as the Greenback keeps a vacillating price action. With Fed rate hike expectations easing and US markets closed for the Independence Day holiday, Cable remains on track to post solid weekly gains.

EUR/USD remains sidelined around 1.1440

EUR/USD holds on to its recent gains and consolidates around 1.1440 at the end of the week as the US Dollar lacks clear direction. In the meantime, trading conditions remain subdued, with volatility constrained by the closure of US markets for the Independence Day holiday.

Gold flirts with two-week highs, targets $4,200

Gold extends its recovery for a third straight day, advancing toward the $4,200 mark per troy ounce on Friday. The precious metal looks set to snap a four-week losing streak as softer-than-expected June US NFP data prompt investors to scale back expectations of further Fed tightening.

Crypto Today: Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP advance amid renewed capital inflows

Bitcoin maintains its upward momentum, holding above the $61,000 mark at the time of writing on Friday. Major altcoins such as Ethereum and Ripple are also posting gains, signaling a modest uptick in market sentiment and renewed risk appetite among investors.

The Iran war failed to trigger a recession. Can the US economy keep defying expectations?

Nearly four months after the start of the Iran war, the US economy remains remarkably resilient. While the conflict initially triggered a severe disruption to global energy markets and a sharp rise in Oil prices, recent diplomatic progress between Washington and Tehran has eased concerns about a prolonged supply shock.

Kevin Warsh offers no policy clues: Why markets still got their answer

Financial markets came to Sintra looking for clues about the Federal Reserve's (Fed) next move. They largely left with confirmation that Fed Chair Kevin Warsh intends to make those clues much harder to find.