Reuters reporting on UK's Prime Minister Boris Johnson lockdown statements today notes how the government is now setting out plans to begin gradually easing some of the measures which have shut down much of the economy for nearly seven weeks:
"This is not the time simply to end the lockdown this week," Johnson said in a televised address. "Instead we are taking the first careful steps to modify our measures."
From Monday, those who cannot work from home will be actively encouraged to go to work, he said, and from Wednesday people will be allowed to take unlimited amounts of outdoor exercise as long as they adhere to social distancing guidelines.
"You can sit in the sun in your local park, you can drive to other destinations, you can even play sports but only with members of your own household," he said.
We will be monitoring our progress locally, regionally, and nationally and if there are outbreaks, if there are problems, we will not hesitate to put on the brakes.
There will be five alert levels, lower level means fewer lockdown measures.
We have by no means fulfilled all our conditions for lifting lockdown.
This week is not the time to simply end the lockdown.
We are taking the first careful steps to modify our measures.
Anyone who cannot work from home should now be actively encouraged to go to work.
To chart our progress we are establishing a new covid alert system run by a new joint biosecurity centre.
GBP/USD update
GBP/USD has been firmer of late, completing a 50% mean reversion of the end of April drop. While there is some commitment here to getting the UK economy on track by relaxing lockdown measures, insofar as the UK carries a significant current account deficit and along with last month’s news that the latest round of post-Brexit talks between the UK and the EU did not go well, the pound should continue to struggle. Brexit talks kick-off again today, so the pound could be vulnerable at the start of the week.
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
AUD/USD stands firm above 0.6500 with markets bracing for Aussie PPI, US inflation
The Aussie Dollar begins Friday’s Asian session on the right foot against the Greenback after posting gains of 0.33% on Thursday. The AUD/USD advance was sponsored by a United States report showing the economy is growing below estimates while inflation picked up. The pair traded at 0.6518.
EUR/USD mired near 1.0730 after choppy Thursday market session
EUR/USD whipsawed somewhat on Thursday, and the pair is heading into Friday's early session near 1.0730 after a back-and-forth session and complicated US data that vexed rate cut hopes.
Gold soars as US economic woes and inflation fears grip investors
Gold prices advanced modestly during Thursday’s North American session, gaining more than 0.5% following the release of crucial economic data from the United States. GDP figures for the first quarter of 2024 missed estimates, increasing speculation that the US Fed could lower borrowing costs.
Bitcoin price continues to get rejected from $65K resistance as SEC delays decision on spot BTC ETF options
Bitcoin (BTC) price has markets in disarray, provoking a broader market crash as it slumped to the $62,000 range on Thursday. Meanwhile, reverberations from spot BTC exchange-traded funds (ETFs) continue to influence the market.
Bank of Japan expected to keep interest rates on hold after landmark hike
The Bank of Japan is set to leave its short-term rate target unchanged in the range between 0% and 0.1% on Friday, following the conclusion of its two-day monetary policy review meeting for April. The BoJ will announce its decision on Friday at around 3:00 GMT.