GBP/USD Current price: 1.2849
- Brexit's back and forth putting at risk May's continuity as PM.
- UK employment data could exacerbate the decline if it disappoints.
The GBP/USD pair gapped lower at the weekly opening and was unable to fill it, collapsing to 1.2826 as the Brexit saga continues. Not only weekend news indicated that several UK Ministers were willing to resign, but also, a couple of Cabinet members said this Monday that there's no chance PM May's plan will pass the Parliament, therefore jeopardizing May's leadership. The market was waiting for an emergency Cabinet meeting which finally didn't occur. A special EU summit on Brexit is now out of the table for this month, and the market is doubting about a possible meeting in December. The Pound got a boost from an FT news, indicating that EU's Chief Negotiator Barnier said that main elements of Brexit treaty text was ready, but resumed its decline after the market realized the Irish border issue remains unsolved. Risk aversion extended into the US session with the pair trading near the mentioned low. The UK will release its latest employment figures this Tuesday. The UK unemployment rate for the three months to September is expected to remain unchanged at 4.0%, while wages including bonuses are seen up by 3.0% vs. the previous 2.7%. Disappointing data could exacerbate the decline, while better-than-expected numbers will hardly be enough to offset Brexit woes.
The pair peaked at 1.2935 on short-lived Brexit hopes, now trading roughly 100 pips below the level. The risk remains skewed to the downside, as in the 4 hours chart, technical indicators corrected extreme oversold conditions before resuming their declines, now maintaining their bearish slopes, while the price develops well below its moving averages. The 20 SMA gains downward traction and is about to cross below the 200 EMA, this last at around 1.3015. The decline is set to extend as long as Brexit negotiations remain in a stalemate on the Irish border.
Support levels: 1.2825 1.2790 1.2750
Resistance levels: 1.2880 1.2935 1.2960
View Live Chart for the GBP/USD
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 treads water just above 1.0400 post-US data
Another sign of the good health of the US economy came in response to firm flash US Manufacturing and Services PMIs, which in turn reinforced further the already strong performance of the US Dollar, relegating EUR/USD to the 1.0400 neighbourhood on Friday.
GBP/USD remains depressed near 1.2520 on stronger Dollar
Poor results from the UK docket kept the British pound on the back foot on Thursday, hovering around the low-1.2500s in a context of generalized weakness in the risk-linked galaxy vs. another outstanding day in the Greenback.
Gold keeps the bid bias unchanged near $2,700
Persistent safe haven demand continues to prop up the march north in Gold prices so far on Friday, hitting new two-week tops past the key $2,700 mark per troy ounce despite extra strength in the Greenback and mixed US yields.
Geopolitics back on the radar
Rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine caused renewed unease in the markets this week. Putin signed an amendment to Russian nuclear doctrine, which allows Russia to use nuclear weapons for retaliating against strikes carried out with conventional weapons.
Eurozone PMI sounds the alarm about growth once more
The composite PMI dropped from 50 to 48.1, once more stressing growth concerns for the eurozone. Hard data has actually come in better than expected recently – so ahead of the December meeting, the ECB has to figure out whether this is the PMI crying wolf or whether it should take this signal seriously. We think it’s the latter.
Best Forex Brokers with Low Spreads
VERIFIED Low spreads are crucial for reducing trading costs. Explore top Forex brokers offering competitive spreads and high leverage. Compare options for EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, and Gold.