- GBP/JPY corrects from a 16-year high of 204.75 marked on Monday.
- BRC Shop Price Index, an indicator of inflationary pressures in the UK, rose by 0.2% YoY in June, below the prior 0.6% increase.
- The Japanese Yen may receive support from the verbal intervention by Japanese authorities.
GBP/JPY halts its winning streak that began on June 17, trading around 204.00 during the early European session on Tuesday. The GBP/JPY cross reached a level of 204.75 on Monday, the highest since August 2008.
This downturn can be attributed to the softer data released by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) on Tuesday. The BRC Shop Price Index (SPI) increased by 0.2% year-over-year in June, compared to the previous 0.6% increase. Changes in the SPI are closely monitored as an indicator of inflationary pressures in the United Kingdom (UK).
Additionally, the Bank of England's (BoE) dovish pause in June has increased expectations for a rate cut at the August monetary policy meeting, potentially weakening the British Pound (GBP) and affecting the GBP/JPY cross.
GBP traders will be watching the upcoming general election on Thursday. According to the latest exit polls, the Opposition Labour Party is anticipated to prevail over the Conservative Party led by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
On the JPY’s front, the verbal intervention by Japanese authorities might support the Japanese Yen and limit the upside of the GBP/JPY cross. Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki stated on Tuesday that he is "closely watching FX moves with vigilance." Suzuki refrained from commenting on specific forex levels, noting that there is no change in the government's stance on foreign exchange, according to Reuters.
According to the latest Reuters survey conducted from June 25 to July 1, the Bank of Japan is expected to reduce its monthly bond purchases by roughly $100 billion (¥16.00 trillion) in the first year under a quantitative tightening (QT) plan set for release this month.
Interest rates FAQs
Interest rates are charged by financial institutions on loans to borrowers and are paid as interest to savers and depositors. They are influenced by base lending rates, which are set by central banks in response to changes in the economy. Central banks normally have a mandate to ensure price stability, which in most cases means targeting a core inflation rate of around 2%. If inflation falls below target the central bank may cut base lending rates, with a view to stimulating lending and boosting the economy. If inflation rises substantially above 2% it normally results in the central bank raising base lending rates in an attempt to lower inflation.
Higher interest rates generally help strengthen a country’s currency as they make it a more attractive place for global investors to park their money.
Higher interest rates overall weigh on the price of Gold because they increase the opportunity cost of holding Gold instead of investing in an interest-bearing asset or placing cash in the bank. If interest rates are high that usually pushes up the price of the US Dollar (USD), and since Gold is priced in Dollars, this has the effect of lowering the price of Gold.
The Fed funds rate is the overnight rate at which US banks lend to each other. It is the oft-quoted headline rate set by the Federal Reserve at its FOMC meetings. It is set as a range, for example 4.75%-5.00%, though the upper limit (in that case 5.00%) is the quoted figure. Market expectations for future Fed funds rate are tracked by the CME FedWatch tool, which shapes how many financial markets behave in anticipation of future Federal Reserve monetary policy decisions.
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