GBP/USD churns ahead of UK wages and labor figures

• GBP/USD continues to battle markets just above 1.3000.
• Cable traders are buckling down ahead of Tuesday’s key UK labor figures.
• UK CPI inflation, US Retail Sales figures due later in the week.

GBP/USD churned chart paper just north of 1.3000 on Monday, with markets striking a laid-back tone ahead of key UK data due to release in the first half of the trading week. UK wages and jobs additions are slated for early Tuesday, with UK Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI) inflation in the barrel for Wednesday. US Retail Sales figures will round out the middle of the week on Thursday, followed by UK Retail Sales slated for Friday’s London market session.

Markets are looking for a continued easing in UK labor figures for the quarter ended in August. Median market forecasts expect a headline print of Average Earnings Excluding Bonus to tick back to 4.9% for the annualized quarter ended in August, down from the previous 5.1%. The UK’s Claimant Count Change is expected to ease down to 20.2K in September from August’s 23.7K, while the UK’s ILO Unemployment Rate is expected to hold steady at 4.1% for the three month period ended in August.

It’s a GBP-forward data docket in the first half of the trading week; UK CPI inflation figures will followup on Wednesday, with headline YoY CPI inflation expected to ease down to 1.9% from the previous 2.2%, though core CPI UK inflation is expected to continue riding much higher, but still soften to 3.4% from 3.6%.

Meaningful US data isn’t due until Thursday’s US Retail Sales, expected to accelerate to 0.3% MoM in September after August’s lackluster 0.1%. However, Cable traders will be largely focused on Thursday’s Bank of England (BoE) Monetary Policy Report Hearings. UK Retail Sales figures will wrap up the trading week on Friday, where investors are expecting figures to backslide to -0.3% MoM in September from the previous 1.0%.

GBP/USD price forecast

Cable shows a recent shift in momentum on daily candlesticks after the pair moved below its 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at 1.31050 and is currently roiling near 1.3050. GBP/USD has seen a significant pullback after peaking in late September, and the 50-day EMA is starting to flatten, suggesting a potential weakening of the bullish trend. The pair remains above the 200-day EMA at 1.28450, providing a crucial longer-term support level.

From a momentum perspective, the Moving Average Convergence-Divergence (MACD) is signaling bearish pressure. The MACD line (blue) has crossed below the signal line (orange), with the histogram showing deepening negative bars. This suggests that the selling momentum is picking up, and the pair may face further downside risks if the current trend continues. The MACD histogram’s movement below zero indicates a bearish divergence, confirming the downtrend's strength.

Key support levels to watch include the psychological 1.3000 level and the 200-day EMA around 1.28450, which could act as critical buffers. On the upside, the 50-day EMA near 1.31050 serves as a resistance zone. A break above this level would be necessary to regain bullish momentum. However, as long as the pair stays below the 50-day EMA, the outlook remains cautious, with the potential for further downside in the short term.

GBP/USD daily chart