GBP/USD Price Forecast: Gathers strength above 1.3350, but stays capped below 100-day average
- GBP/USD gains ground to near 1.3360 in Friday’s early European session.
- The major pair remains capped below the key 100-day MA.
- The first upside barrier emerges at 1.3410; the initial support level is seen at 1.3300.
The GBP/USD pair trades in positive territory around 1.3360 during the early European session on Friday. The British Pound (GBP) gathers strength against the US Dollar (USD) on a weaker-than-expected US Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) report.
Signs of a cooling US labor market have prompted financial markets to dial back expectations for a near-term interest rate hike from the US Federal Reserve (Fed), weighing on the Greenback and creating a tailwind for the major pair. Financial markets are now pricing in nearly a 52% chance of a US rate hike by September, down from 66% before the jobs data, according to the CME FedWatch tool.
Traders will closely watch the developments surrounding UK politics since Keir Starmer stepped down last week. Natixis analysts said while Andy Burnham's commitment to fiscal discipline offers near-term support, markets will closely monitor future budgets for any signs that fiscal rules are being relaxed to finance higher public spending.
Technical Analysis:
In the daily chart, GBP/USD sits above the Bollinger middle band, keeping a modestly supported tone, while it remains capped by the 100-day simple moving average (SMA). The Relative Strength Index (RSI) at about 54 suggests mildly positive but not overextended momentum.
On the topside, initial resistance is located at the 100-day SMA near 1.3410, and a daily close above this barrier would open the door toward the upper Bollinger band around 1.3468. On the downside, immediate support aligns with the Bollinger middle band at 1.3300, ahead of the lower band near 1.3132, where a deeper pullback could attract dip-buying interest within the broader range.
(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool.)
Pound Sterling FAQs
The Pound Sterling (GBP) is the oldest currency in the world (886 AD) and the official currency of the United Kingdom. It is the fourth most traded unit for foreign exchange (FX) in the world, accounting for 12% of all transactions, averaging $630 billion a day, according to 2022 data. Its key trading pairs are GBP/USD, also known as ‘Cable’, which accounts for 11% of FX, GBP/JPY, or the ‘Dragon’ as it is known by traders (3%), and EUR/GBP (2%). The Pound Sterling is issued by the Bank of England (BoE).
The single most important factor influencing the value of the Pound Sterling is monetary policy decided by the Bank of England. The BoE bases its decisions on whether it has achieved its primary goal of “price stability” – a steady inflation rate of around 2%. Its primary tool for achieving this is the adjustment of interest rates. When inflation is too high, the BoE will try to rein it in by raising interest rates, making it more expensive for people and businesses to access credit. This is generally positive for GBP, as higher interest rates make the UK a more attractive place for global investors to park their money. When inflation falls too low it is a sign economic growth is slowing. In this scenario, the BoE will consider lowering interest rates to cheapen credit so businesses will borrow more to invest in growth-generating projects.
Data releases gauge the health of the economy and can impact the value of the Pound Sterling. Indicators such as GDP, Manufacturing and Services PMIs, and employment can all influence the direction of the GBP. A strong economy is good for Sterling. Not only does it attract more foreign investment but it may encourage the BoE to put up interest rates, which will directly strengthen GBP. Otherwise, if economic data is weak, the Pound Sterling is likely to fall.
Another significant data release for the Pound Sterling is the Trade Balance. This indicator measures the difference between what a country earns from its exports and what it spends on imports over a given period. If a country produces highly sought-after exports, its currency will benefit purely from the extra demand created from foreign buyers seeking to purchase these goods. Therefore, a positive net Trade Balance strengthens a currency and vice versa for a negative balance.
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