Pound Sterling extends decline against US Dollar in countdown to Hormuz deadline

Source Fxstreet
  • The Pound Sterling declines sharply against the US Dollar amid Middle East conflicts.
  • Iran vows to retaliate against the US and Iran in response to Trump’s 48-hour ultimatum.
  • Investors await the UK flash PMI and the CPI data.

The Pound Sterling extends its intraday decline against the US Dollar (USD), trading 0.6% down to near 1.3260 during the European trading session on Monday. The GBP/USD pair tumbles as escalating conflicts in the Middle East have further diminished investors’ risk appetite.

During the press time, S&P 500 futures are down almost 1%, even after plummeting 1.5% on Friday. Meanwhile, the US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback’s value against six major currencies, is up 0.6%, slightly above 100.00, as its safe-haven demand has improved.

US Dollar Price Today

The table below shows the percentage change of US Dollar (USD) against listed major currencies today. US Dollar was the strongest against the Australian Dollar.

USD EUR GBP JPY CAD AUD NZD CHF
USD 0.72% 0.58% 0.21% 0.17% 1.58% 1.25% 0.70%
EUR -0.72% -0.14% -0.48% -0.55% 0.97% 0.51% -0.03%
GBP -0.58% 0.14% -0.36% -0.40% 1.11% 0.66% 0.10%
JPY -0.21% 0.48% 0.36% -0.03% 1.36% 0.95% 0.47%
CAD -0.17% 0.55% 0.40% 0.03% 1.37% 0.94% 0.47%
AUD -1.58% -0.97% -1.11% -1.36% -1.37% -0.44% -0.87%
NZD -1.25% -0.51% -0.66% -0.95% -0.94% 0.44% -0.51%
CHF -0.70% 0.03% -0.10% -0.47% -0.47% 0.87% 0.51%

The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the US Dollar from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the Japanese Yen, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent USD (base)/JPY (quote).

Middle East conflicts have escalated as Iran vowed to retaliate against the United States (US) President Donald Trump’s 48-hour ultimatum, according to which there will attack on Iran’s power plants, with intentions to obliterate them, if Tehran doesn’t open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours.

On the domestic front, investors await the United Kingdom (UK) Consumer Price Index (CPI) data for February and the preliminary S&P Global Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) data for March, which will be released on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

The impact of the UK inflation data is expected to be limited on the Bank of England’s (BoE) monetary policy outlook as rising energy prices due to supply chain disruptions amid Middle East conflicts have increased global inflation expectations.

In the monetary policy announcement last week, the BoE left interest rates unchanged at 3.75% and raised Q3 CPI projections to 3.5% from previously estimates of 2.1% due to the global energy price shock.

 


Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
placeholder
The dollar weakened, equities dipped, and gold hit record highsThe dollar weakened, equities fell, and gold set new records on Wednesday as investors waited for a Fed rate cut later in the day.
Author  Cryptopolitan
Sep 17, 2025
The dollar weakened, equities fell, and gold set new records on Wednesday as investors waited for a Fed rate cut later in the day.
placeholder
Markets in 2026: Will gold, Bitcoin, and the U.S. dollar make history again? — These are how leading institutions thinkAfter a turbulent 2025, what lies ahead for commodities, forex, and cryptocurrency markets in 2026?
Author  Insights
Dec 25, 2025
After a turbulent 2025, what lies ahead for commodities, forex, and cryptocurrency markets in 2026?
placeholder
ECB Policy Outlook for 2026: What It Could Mean for the Euro’s Next MoveWith the ECB likely holding rates steady at 2.15% and the Fed potentially extending cuts into 2026, EUR/USD may test 1.20 if Eurozone growth proves resilient, but weaker growth and an ECB pivot could pull the pair back toward 1.13 and potentially 1.10.
Author  Mitrade
Dec 26, 2025
With the ECB likely holding rates steady at 2.15% and the Fed potentially extending cuts into 2026, EUR/USD may test 1.20 if Eurozone growth proves resilient, but weaker growth and an ECB pivot could pull the pair back toward 1.13 and potentially 1.10.
placeholder
Gold tumbles below $4,650 as inflation fears and liquidity squeeze weighGold price (XAU/USD) remains under selling pressure near $4,640 during the early Asian session on Friday. The precious metal extends the decline as soaring crude oil and energy prices, driven by the escalating US-Israeli war with Iran, reignite inflation fears.
Author  FXStreet
Mar 20, Fri
Gold price (XAU/USD) remains under selling pressure near $4,640 during the early Asian session on Friday. The precious metal extends the decline as soaring crude oil and energy prices, driven by the escalating US-Israeli war with Iran, reignite inflation fears.
placeholder
Iran threatens to completely close Strait of Hormuz if US bombs power plantsIran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that it will completely shut the strait if US President Donald Trump proceeds with his threats to target Iranian energy facilities, the Guardian reported on Monday.
Author  FXStreet
10 hours ago
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that it will completely shut the strait if US President Donald Trump proceeds with his threats to target Iranian energy facilities, the Guardian reported on Monday.
Related Instrument
goTop
quote