GBP/USD eyes a break below 1.2000 in the lead up to Brexit showdown


  • Brexit/political uncertainties exert downside on the GBP/USD pair.
  • Backbenchers vote to block no-deal Brexit will be the key to watch today.
  • UK PM announced a snap election on October 14 if he fails to win in the Parliament.

With no Brexit solution in sight, GBP/USD remains under pressure ahead of the much-awaited resumption of the British Parliament. The quote seesaws near 1.2030 while heading into the London open on Tuesday.

In addition to the early-day headlines suggesting the Brexit negotiator’s dislike for the EU’s refrain from altering Irish backstop, as conveyed by the BBC and the UK Telegraph, the Cable bears the burden of overall US Dollar (USD) strength as the US traders will return to their desks after an extended weekend.

Ever since the United Kingdom’s (UK) Prime Minister (PM) Boris Johnson announced to prorogue the parliament, British politicians raged in anger indicating it as a clear sign of a no-deal Brexit. Due to this, an alliance formed by Labour, Liberal Democrats and other opposition parties as well as some Tory rebels will put forward a motion to win over the Commons’ support for a bill that would require the PM to seek Brexit extension till January 31 if he fails to get a deal with the EU before October 19. Another aspect of the bill, as conveyed by the Independent, says that the PM Johnson must seek another Brexit date from the EU in a case the bloc rejects 31 January deadline unless the Commons rejects it.

In a reaction to this, the UK PM has already threatened to call a snap election on October 14, the motion on which will be passed for a vote on Wednesday, if he fails in today’s crunch vote.

Hence, an enormous amount of political drama awaits the UK’s Parliamentary open after a long summer recess.

Other than the politics, UK’s August month Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), 45.9 expected versus 45.3, will also gain the Cable traders’ attention.

On the contrary, headlines concerning the US-China trade stalemate and manufacturing PMIs from the US will also welcome the US traders’ after an extended weekend.

Technical Analysis

With the clear break of immediate support-line and sustained trading below four-month-old falling trend-line, the GBP/USD pair is likely to aim for 1.2000 round-figure with the August month low of 1.2015 be the close support. In a case prices keep trading southwards below 1.2000, the year 2017 low near 1.1987 and the year 2016 low near 1.1800 will be in the bears’ radar. Meanwhile, 1.2100 and 21-day simple moving average (DMA) near 1.2144 act as nearby resistances for the pair traders to watch during pair’s U-turn.

Share: Feed news

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


Recommended content

Editors’ Picks

EUR/USD treads water just above 1.0400 post-US data

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.

EUR/USD News
GBP/USD remains depressed near 1.2520 on stronger Dollar

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.

GBP/USD News
Gold keeps the bid bias unchanged near $2,700

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.

Gold News
Geopolitics back on the radar

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.

Read more
Eurozone PMI sounds the alarm about growth once more

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.

Read more
Best Forex Brokers with Low Spreads

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.

Read More

Forex MAJORS

Cryptocurrencies

Signatures