GBP/USD climbs despite Trump’s auto tariffs, markets bet on UK exemption

Source Fxstreet
  • Sterling gains 0.35% as high-beta currencies benefit from improved sentiment despite initial tariff shock.
  • Trump enacts 25% auto tariffs effective April 2; UK says talks underway to secure exemption.
  • US data mixed with jobless claims near estimates, GDP revised up, and home sales still in decline.

The Pound Sterling rises during the North American session, against the Greenback even though the US President Donald Trump enacted automotive tariffs on all cars made outside of the United States (US). Initially, risk appetite deteriorated, but it has improved. Therefore, high-beta currencies like the Sterling advance, with GBP/USD trading near 1.2930, up 0.35%.

GBP/USD rises as risk appetite rebounds, while UK seeks carve-out from new US trade measures

On Wednesday, Trump signed an executive order adding 25% duties on imported automobiles, effective on April 2. He said that he would announce additional tariffs next week.

This triggered a reaction worldwide, including in the UK. Finance Minister Rachel Reeves said that they are working with the White House to secure an exemption from US auto tariffs.

Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders revealed that the US is Britain’s second-largest car export market, after the European Union.

Aside from this, US economic data revealed that the number or Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose below estimates of 225K, increased by 224K in the week ending March 22. Other data showed that the GDP for the last quarter of 2024 was confirmed at 2.3% quarter-over-quarter (QoQ), up from 1.9%, slightly below estimates of 2.4% and Pending Home Sales dipped -3.6% YoY in February, though improved compared to January’s -5.2% plunge.

Ahead this week, the UK economic docket will feature Retail Sales data. Across the pond, investors eye speeches by Federal Reserve (Fed) officials, alongside the release of the Fed’s favorite inflation gauge, the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index.

GBP/USD Price Forecast: Technical outlook

Even though the GBP/USD resumed its uptrend, it remains shy of cracking the current week’s peak of 1.2973, which could set the pair to challenge the 1.3000 figure. Price action suggests that buyers are losing some steam, as it continues to print back-to-back lower lows but a daily close above the 1.2950 would be crucial for buyers, if they would like to test higher prices.

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is bullish and aims up but lies below the latest through an indication of buyers’ lack of strength.

On the flip side, if GBP/USD drops below 1.2900, it paves the path to challenge the 200-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) at 1.2801.

British Pound PRICE This week

The table below shows the percentage change of British Pound (GBP) against listed major currencies this week. British Pound was the strongest against the Japanese Yen.

  USD EUR GBP JPY CAD AUD NZD CHF
USD   0.25% -0.25% 1.09% -0.28% -0.48% -0.16% -0.03%
EUR -0.25%   -0.60% 0.29% -0.49% -0.74% -0.37% -0.24%
GBP 0.25% 0.60%   1.33% -0.51% -0.17% 0.25% 0.27%
JPY -1.09% -0.29% -1.33%   -1.36% -1.56% -1.20% -1.10%
CAD 0.28% 0.49% 0.51% 1.36%   -0.13% 0.12% 0.26%
AUD 0.48% 0.74% 0.17% 1.56% 0.13%   0.39% 0.53%
NZD 0.16% 0.37% -0.25% 1.20% -0.12% -0.39%   0.20%
CHF 0.03% 0.24% -0.27% 1.10% -0.26% -0.53% -0.20%  

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 British Pound from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the US Dollar, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent GBP (base)/USD (quote).

 

Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
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Author  FXStreet
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Author  Mitrade
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Bitcoin Slides 5% as Sellers Lean In — Can BTC Reclaim $88,000?Bitcoin has dropped back below $88,000 after rolling over from $90,500, with price still trading under the 100-hour Simple Moving Average. The sell-off found a floor at $85,151, and BTC is now consolidating near that base, but rebounds are facing pressure from a bearish trend line around $89,000. Bulls need to retake $88,000–$89,000 to ease downside risk; failure to do so keeps $85,500–$85,000 and then $83,500 in play, with $80,000 as the deeper “line in the sand.” Bitcoin (BTC) is back in damage-control mode after a sharp pullback wiped out recent gains. The price failed to reclaim the $90,000–$90,500 band, rolled over, and slid through $88,500 before briefly dipping under $87,000. Buyers did show up around $85,000, but the rebound so far looks more like stabilization than a clear trend reversal. Bitcoin dips hard, finds a bid near $85,000(h3) BTC’s latest move lower began when it couldn’t build follow-through above $90,000 and $90,500. Once that upside stalled, sellers took control and pushed price down through $88,500. The slide accelerated enough to spike below $87,000, but the market didn’t free-fall. Bulls defended the $85,000 zone, printing a low at $85,151. Since then, Bitcoin has been consolidating below the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement of the drop from the $93,560 swing high to the $85,151 low — a clue that the bounce is still shallow and that sellers haven’t fully backed off yet. Structurally, BTC is still on the back foot: It’s trading below $88,000, and It remains below the 100-hour Simple Moving Average, keeping short-term trend pressure pointed downward. Resistance is layered, and $89,000 is the problem area(h3) If bulls try to turn this into a recovery, they’ll have to climb through multiple ceilings in quick succession. First, BTC faces resistance around $87,150, followed by a more meaningful barrier near $87,500. From there, the market’s attention snaps back to $88,000 — the level BTC just lost and now needs to reclaim. A close back above $88,000 would improve the tone, but it doesn’t solve the bigger issue: there’s a bearish trend line on the hourly BTC/USD chart (Kraken feed) with resistance near $89,000, which also lines up with the next technical hurdle. If BTC can push through $89,000 and hold, the rebound could extend toward $90,000, with follow-through targets at $91,000 and $91,500. But until price clears that $88,000–$89,000 zone, rallies are at risk of being sold rather than chased. If BTC fails to reclaim resistance, the downside path is clear(h3) The near-term bear case is simple: if Bitcoin can’t climb back above the $87,000 area and keep traction, sellers may attempt another leg lower. Support levels line up like this: Immediate support: $85,500 First major support: $85,000 Next support: $83,500 Then $82,500 in the near term Below that, the major “don’t break this” level is still $80,000. If BTC slips under $80,000, the risk of acceleration to the downside increases significantly — not because it’s magic, but because it’s the kind of psychological and structural level that tends to trigger forced de-risking. Indicators: momentum still leans bearish(h3) The intraday indicators aren’t offering much comfort yet: Hourly MACD is losing pace in the bearish zone. Hourly RSI remains below 50, suggesting sellers still have the upper hand on short timeframes. So while the $85,000 defense held for now, the market hasn’t flipped bullish — it’s just stopped bleeding.
Author  Mitrade
12 hours ago
Bitcoin has dropped back below $88,000 after rolling over from $90,500, with price still trading under the 100-hour Simple Moving Average. The sell-off found a floor at $85,151, and BTC is now consolidating near that base, but rebounds are facing pressure from a bearish trend line around $89,000. Bulls need to retake $88,000–$89,000 to ease downside risk; failure to do so keeps $85,500–$85,000 and then $83,500 in play, with $80,000 as the deeper “line in the sand.” Bitcoin (BTC) is back in damage-control mode after a sharp pullback wiped out recent gains. The price failed to reclaim the $90,000–$90,500 band, rolled over, and slid through $88,500 before briefly dipping under $87,000. Buyers did show up around $85,000, but the rebound so far looks more like stabilization than a clear trend reversal. Bitcoin dips hard, finds a bid near $85,000(h3) BTC’s latest move lower began when it couldn’t build follow-through above $90,000 and $90,500. Once that upside stalled, sellers took control and pushed price down through $88,500. The slide accelerated enough to spike below $87,000, but the market didn’t free-fall. Bulls defended the $85,000 zone, printing a low at $85,151. Since then, Bitcoin has been consolidating below the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement of the drop from the $93,560 swing high to the $85,151 low — a clue that the bounce is still shallow and that sellers haven’t fully backed off yet. Structurally, BTC is still on the back foot: It’s trading below $88,000, and It remains below the 100-hour Simple Moving Average, keeping short-term trend pressure pointed downward. Resistance is layered, and $89,000 is the problem area(h3) If bulls try to turn this into a recovery, they’ll have to climb through multiple ceilings in quick succession. First, BTC faces resistance around $87,150, followed by a more meaningful barrier near $87,500. From there, the market’s attention snaps back to $88,000 — the level BTC just lost and now needs to reclaim. A close back above $88,000 would improve the tone, but it doesn’t solve the bigger issue: there’s a bearish trend line on the hourly BTC/USD chart (Kraken feed) with resistance near $89,000, which also lines up with the next technical hurdle. If BTC can push through $89,000 and hold, the rebound could extend toward $90,000, with follow-through targets at $91,000 and $91,500. But until price clears that $88,000–$89,000 zone, rallies are at risk of being sold rather than chased. If BTC fails to reclaim resistance, the downside path is clear(h3) The near-term bear case is simple: if Bitcoin can’t climb back above the $87,000 area and keep traction, sellers may attempt another leg lower. Support levels line up like this: Immediate support: $85,500 First major support: $85,000 Next support: $83,500 Then $82,500 in the near term Below that, the major “don’t break this” level is still $80,000. If BTC slips under $80,000, the risk of acceleration to the downside increases significantly — not because it’s magic, but because it’s the kind of psychological and structural level that tends to trigger forced de-risking. Indicators: momentum still leans bearish(h3) The intraday indicators aren’t offering much comfort yet: Hourly MACD is losing pace in the bearish zone. Hourly RSI remains below 50, suggesting sellers still have the upper hand on short timeframes. So while the $85,000 defense held for now, the market hasn’t flipped bullish — it’s just stopped bleeding.
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