Market news
03.09.2024, 09:43

Pound Sterling drops against US Dollar ahead of US Manufacturing PMI

  • The Pound Sterling falls to near 1.3100 against the US Dollar as the Greenback clings to gains ahead of the US ISM Manufacturing PMI for August.
  • US NFP data for August would be the major trigger this week.
  • Investors see the BoE keeping interest rates steady at 5% this month.

The Pound Sterling (GBP) exhibits a subdued performance slightly above the crucial support of 1.3100 against the US Dollar (USD) in Tuesday’s London session. The GBP/USD pair edges lower as the US Dollar grips gains near an almost two-week high, with investors’ attention turning to the United States (US) Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) data for August, releasing this Friday. 

The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback’s value against six major currencies, consolidates near 101.70.

Investors keenly await the labor market data as it is expected to drive market speculation for the magnitude of the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) interest rate cut this month. Currently, traders are split about whether the Fed will cut interest rates gradually by 25 basis points (bps) or aggressively by 50 bps. 

The importance of the labor market data has increased significantly as comments from Fed Chair Jerome Powell at the Jackson Hole (JH) Symposium indicated that the central bank is more focused on preventing job demand, given that officials are confident about inflationary pressures remaining on track to sustainably return to bank’s target of 2%.

Investors will also get cues about the current labor market status from the US JOLTS Job Openings data for July and the ADP Employment Change data for August, which will be published on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.

In Tuesday’s session, the US Dollar will be influenced by the S&P Global (final estimate) and ISM Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) data for August, which will be published in the North American session. Economists expect that activities in the manufacturing sector contracted at a slower pace, with the official PMI from the ISM coming in at 47.5 from July’s reading of 46.8.

Daily digest market movers: Pound Sterling falls despite BoE seems to be leaving interest rates steady at 5%

  • The Pound Sterling performs weakly against its major peers, except Asia-Pacific currencies, during the European trading hours. The British currency remains on the back foot even though the Bank of England (BoE) is expected to follow a shallow interest rate cut cycle this year compared to its peer central bankers.
  • Traders see little chance that the BoE will cut interest rates in September but are confident about November, Reuters reported. Market speculation for September interest rate cuts is weak as inflationary pressures in the United Kingdom (UK) are expected to remain sticky due to strong economic prospects. Also, comments from BoE Governor Andrew Bailey at the JH Symposium indicated that the central bank will be careful not to cut interest rates too quickly or by too much.
  • The final estimate of S&P Global/CIPS Manufacturing PMI showed on Monday that activities in the manufacturing sector in the UK expanded to a 26-month high at 52.5 in August, driven by the continuation of a strong recovery in output, new orders, and labor demand.
  • “The UK manufacturing sector remained a positive contributor to broader economic growth in August. The headline PMI hit a 26-month high of 52.5, reflecting solid expansions in output and new orders and the strongest jobs growth for over two years. The upturn is broad-based across manufacturing, with the investment goods sector the stand-out performer”, Rob Dobson, Director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said.
  • For fresh interest rate clues, investors await BoE policymaker Sarah Breeden’s speech, which is scheduled at 12:45 GMT. Breeden was among policymakers who voted for cutting interest rates in August by 25 basis points (bps) to 5%, along with Andrew Bailey, Swati Dhingra, Dave Ramsden, and Clare Lombardelli.

Technical Analysis: Pound Sterling sees support slightly below 1.3100

The Pound Sterling declines to nearly 1.3100 against the US Dollar. The GBP/USD pair faces pressure after declining below the round-level support of 1.3200 last week. The Cable may likely find buying interest near the breakout region of a Channel chart formation on a daily timeframe.

The 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) declines to near 60.00 after exiting overbought conditions, signaling a lack of bullish momentum at the moment.

However, upward-sloping short-to-long-term Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs) suggest a strong bullish trend. 

If bullish momentum resumes, the Cable is expected to rise towards the psychological resistance of 1.3500 and the February 4, 2022, high of 1.3640 after breaking above a fresh two-and-a-half-year high of 1.3266. On the downside, the psychological level of 1.3000 will be the crucial support for the Pound Sterling bulls. 
 

Pound Sterling FAQs

The Pound Sterling (GBP) is the oldest currency in the world (886 AD) and the official currency of the United Kingdom. It is the fourth most traded unit for foreign exchange (FX) in the world, accounting for 12% of all transactions, averaging $630 billion a day, according to 2022 data. Its key trading pairs are GBP/USD, aka ‘Cable’, which accounts for 11% of FX, GBP/JPY, or the ‘Dragon’ as it is known by traders (3%), and EUR/GBP (2%). The Pound Sterling is issued by the Bank of England (BoE).

The single most important factor influencing the value of the Pound Sterling is monetary policy decided by the Bank of England. The BoE bases its decisions on whether it has achieved its primary goal of “price stability” – a steady inflation rate of around 2%. Its primary tool for achieving this is the adjustment of interest rates. When inflation is too high, the BoE will try to rein it in by raising interest rates, making it more expensive for people and businesses to access credit. This is generally positive for GBP, as higher interest rates make the UK a more attractive place for global investors to park their money. When inflation falls too low it is a sign economic growth is slowing. In this scenario, the BoE will consider lowering interest rates to cheapen credit so businesses will borrow more to invest in growth-generating projects.

Data releases gauge the health of the economy and can impact the value of the Pound Sterling. Indicators such as GDP, Manufacturing and Services PMIs, and employment can all influence the direction of the GBP. A strong economy is good for Sterling. Not only does it attract more foreign investment but it may encourage the BoE to put up interest rates, which will directly strengthen GBP. Otherwise, if economic data is weak, the Pound Sterling is likely to fall.

Another significant data release for the Pound Sterling is the Trade Balance. This indicator measures the difference between what a country earns from its exports and what it spends on imports over a given period. If a country produces highly sought-after exports, its currency will benefit purely from the extra demand created from foreign buyers seeking to purchase these goods. Therefore, a positive net Trade Balance strengthens a currency and vice versa for a negative balance.

 

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