The pound's woes continue, as the currency has slipped below the key 1.30 line, and finds itself at a 3-week low.
GBP/USD has been losing ground and is down slightly in Tuesday trade. Currently, the pair is trading at 1.2934, down 0.08% on the day. The pound has slipped to its lowest level since December 3. There are no British events on the schedule, so traders can expect the pair to remain steady during the day.
After punching above 1.35 line less than two weeks ago, the British pound has retreated, and will likely greet Christmas in 1.29-territory. Last week was the pound’s worst performance since October 2016, with losses of 2.5 percent. What happened?
Prime Minister Johnson’s resounding election victory delighted the markets, as there were real concerns of a deadlock between the Conservatives and Labour, which would have resulted in political instability. There was some post-euphoria after the election, as Johnson will now be able to wrap up Brexit at the end of January. However, investors are concerned about what happens after that, as London and Brussels must hammer out a new free-trade deal, with plenty of bad blood between the sides.
Weak data is also weighing on the pound. Consumer spending was dismal in November, as retail sales declined by 0.6 percent, well below expectations. As well, the BoE held interest rates at 0.75%, but sent the markets a dovish message. The BoE warned that “if global growth fails to stabilize or Brexit uncertainties remain entrenched, monetary policy may need to reinforce the expected U.K. recovery.” This is a strong hint that the bank could lower rates early next year, which is bearish for the pound.
GBP/USD posted strong gains in the first half of December, since then, the pair has retraced in an almost identical fashion and has given up these hard-won gains. Currently, the pair is testing support at 1.2940, for the first time since early December. Below, we find support at the round number of 1.2900, which could be tested during the week. On the upside, 1.3000 has switched to a resistance role, followed by 1.3050.
USD/CNY has been steady this week, and traders can expect more of the same on Tuesday, with Christmas just around the corner. Currently, the pair is trading at 7.0079, down 0.06% on the day. The pair continues to hug the 7.00 level, which has psychological significance.
AUD/USD has rallied nicely, as the pair has climbed 1.0% since late last week. The pair started the week with gains, but has taken a pause on Tuesday. Currently, the pair is trading at 0.6919, down 0.04% on the day. There are no Australian events on the schedule, so I expect a quiet day for the pair.
NZD/USD started the week by climbing 0.50%, its strongest one-day gains since December 11. The pair has reversed directions on Tuesday, and is trading at 0.6627, down 0.14% on the day.
Kenny is an experienced market analyst, with a focus on fundamental analysis. Kenny has over 15 years of experience across a broad range of markets and assets –forex, indices and commodities.
