- GBP/USD ticks lower on Thursday amid the emergence of some USD buying.
- The divergent BoE-Fed policy expectations should limit any meaningful slide.
- Any further decline might find support near the 1.2750 resistance breakpoint.
The GBP/USD pair continues with its struggle to gain any meaningful traction and extends its consolidative price move around the 1.2800 mark for the second successive day on Thursday. The setup, meanwhile, seems tilted in favour of bullish traders and warrants some caution before positioning for an extension of the recent pullback from the vicinity of the 1.2900 round figure, or the highest level since July 2023 touched last week.
The British Pound (GBP) might continue to draw support from expectations that the Bank of England (BoE) might keep interest rates higher for longer. In contrast, investors seem convinced that the Federal Reserve (Fed) will start cutting interest rates at the June policy meeting. This, along with the underlying strong bullish sentiment around the global equity markets, should cap the upside for the safe-haven Greenback and act as a tailwind for the GBP/USD pair.
Even from a technical perspective, the recent breakout through the 1.2750 horizontal barrier validates the near-term positive outlook. Adding to this, oscillators on the daily chart – though have eased from higher levels – are holding comfortably in the bullish territory and suggest that the path of least resistance for the GBP/USD pair is to the upside. Hence, any further decline might continue to attract some buyers near the 1.2750 resistance breakpoint.
The said area should act as a key pivotal point, which if broken decisively could drag the GBP/USD pair below the 1.2700 mark, towards testing the 50-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) support near the 1.2680 zone. Some follow-through selling might expose the 1.2600 confluence, comprising the 100- and the very important 200-day SMAs. The subsequent slide could turn spot prices vulnerable to retest the YTD low, around the 1.2520-1.2515 region touched in February.
On the flip side, any meaningful positive move beyond the 1.2800 mark is likely to confront some resistance near the weekly swing high, around the 1.2850-1.2860 region. A sustained strength beyond should allow the GBP/USD pair to make a fresh attempt towards conquering the 1.2900 round figure. Some follow-through buying will be seen as a fresh trigger for bulls and lift spot prices to the 1.2940-1.2945 intermediate hurdle en route to the 1.3000 psychological mark.
GBP/USD daily chart
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 regains 1.0500 and beyond as US Dollar wilts ahead of data
EUR/USD is extending the rebound above 1.0500 in the European session on Wednesday. Traders cash in on the US Dollar long positions ahead of a series if top-tier US data, lifting the pair. The USD/JPY sell-off also adds to the US Dollar downside.
GBP/USD holds gains near 1.2600, US PCE data eyed
GBP/USD extends the bullish momentum to trade near 1.2600 in European trading on Wednesday. The pair remains underpinned by a sustained US Dollar weakness and risk-off sentiment as traders turn cautious ahead of top-tier US data releases.
Gold price climbs above $2,650 on trade war concerns, sliding US bond yields and softer USD
Gold price sticks to modest intraday gains near a two-day high, above the $2,650 level, through the first half of the European session as geopolitical risks and US President-elect Donald Trump's tariff plans drive haven flows for the second straight day.
US core PCE inflation set to hold steady, raising doubts on further Federal Reserve rate cut
The United States Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) is set to release the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index data for October on Wednesday at 13:30 GMT.
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.