- The UK Unemployment Rate unexpectedly fell to 4.2% in three months to June.
- The Claimant Count Change for Britain arrived at 135K in July.
- GBP/USD jumps to test 1.2800 after mixed UK employment data.
The United Kingdom’s (UK) ILO Unemployment Rate dropped to 4.2% in the three months to June after recording 4.4% in the previous period, the data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed on Tuesday. The market expectation was for a 4.5% print.
Additional details of the report showed that the number of people claiming jobless benefits increased by 135K in July, compared with a revised gain of 32.3K in June, coming in below the expected 14.5K figure by a wide margin.
The Employment Change data for July arrived at 24K, as against June’s 16K.
Meanwhile, Average Earnings excluding Bonus in the UK rose 5.4% 3M YoY in June versus a 5.7% growth seen in May. The reading matched the expectations of a 4.6% acceleration.
Another measure of wage inflation, Average Earnings including Bonus also increased by 4.5% in the same period, having risen by 5.7% quarter through May.
Commenting on the UK employment report, Work and Pensions Secretary, Liz Kendall MP said, “this is yet more evidence of the dire inheritance we face, with millions of people denied the support they need to get work and get on at work, harming their opportunities and holding back growth.”
“This government will deliver the change the country is crying out for by making work pay, transforming skills, overhauling jobcentres and giving local areas the power they need to drive jobs and growth,” Kendall added.
GBP/USD reaction to the UK employment report
GBP/USD picked up fresh bids in a knee-jerk reaction to the mixed UK employment data. The pair is trading 0.24% higher on the day at 1.2795, as of writing.
British Pound PRICE Today
The table below shows the percentage change of British Pound (GBP) against listed major currencies today. British Pound was the strongest against the Japanese Yen.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | -0.06% | -0.21% | 0.31% | -0.01% | -0.07% | 0.22% | 0.12% | |
| EUR | 0.06% | -0.16% | 0.37% | 0.01% | -0.03% | -0.22% | 0.18% | |
| GBP | 0.21% | 0.16% | 0.55% | 0.19% | 0.13% | -0.04% | 0.37% | |
| JPY | -0.31% | -0.37% | -0.55% | -0.36% | -0.39% | -0.59% | -0.17% | |
| CAD | 0.01% | -0.01% | -0.19% | 0.36% | -0.06% | -0.25% | 0.16% | |
| AUD | 0.07% | 0.03% | -0.13% | 0.39% | 0.06% | -0.17% | 0.24% | |
| NZD | -0.22% | 0.22% | 0.04% | 0.59% | 0.25% | 0.17% | 0.42% | |
| CHF | -0.12% | -0.18% | -0.37% | 0.17% | -0.16% | -0.24% | -0.42% |
The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the British Pound from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the US Dollar, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent GBP (base)/USD (quote).
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 accelerates losses to 1.0930 on stronger Dollar
The US Dollar's recovery regains extra impulse sending the US Dollar Index to fresh highs and relegating EUR/USD to navigate the area of daily troughs around 1.0930 in the latter part of Friday's session.
GBP/USD plummets to four-week lows near 1.2850
The US Dollar's rebound keep gathering steam and now sends GBP/USD to the area of multi-week lows in the 1.2850 region amid the broad-based pullback in the risk-associated universe.
Gold trades on the back foot, flirts with $3,000
Gold prices are accelerating their daily decline, steadily approaching the critical $3,000 per troy ounce mark as the Greenback's rebound gains extra momentum and US yields tighten their retracement.
Can Maker break $1,450 hurdle as whales launch buying spree?
Maker holds steadily above $1,250 support as a whale scoops $1.21 million worth of MKR. Addresses with a 100k to 1 million MKR balance now account for 24.27% of Maker’s total supply. Maker battles a bear flag pattern as bulls gather for an epic weekend move.
Strategic implications of “Liberation Day”
Liberation Day in the United States came with extremely protectionist and inward-looking tariff policy aimed at just about all U.S. trading partners. In this report, we outline some of the more strategic implications of Liberation Day and developments we will be paying close attention to going forward.
The Best brokers to trade EUR/USD
SPONSORED Discover the top brokers for trading EUR/USD in 2025. Our list features brokers with competitive spreads, fast execution, and powerful platforms. Whether you're a beginner or an expert, find the right partner to navigate the dynamic Forex market.