- Pound (GBP) supported by tentative post Brexit trade deal hopes
- US Dollar (USD) slips despite concerns over lock down being re-imposed
- US personal consumption expenditure & consumer confidence in focus
- Pound US Dollar exchange rate +0.6% across the week after -1.5% last week
The Pound is edging tentatively higher versus the US Dollar on Friday after closing flat in the previous session. The Pound US Dollar exchange rate settled on Thursday at US$1.2418.
At 06:15 UTC, GBP/USD trades +0.15% at US$1.2433 ahead of what is expected to be a relatively quiet session.
Hopes surrounding a Brexit trade deal under pinned the Pound in the previous session and continue to do so today, as investors look ahead to the start of face to face post Brexit trade talks next week. EU Chief Negotiator, Michel Barnier had boosted optimism saying that there was still time for a deal to be reached, whilst also hinting at flexibility to get a deal done.
UK Brexit Secretary David Frost sounded less optimistic when he said that “some of the EU’s unrealistic positions will have to change if we are to move forward”. The Pound is shrugging these comments off for now.
The US Dollar is edging lower versus its major peers even as concerns of rising coronavirus cases remain present.
Fears over lockdowns being re-imposed and economies reopening more slowly has dragged on sentiment across the week, boosting demand for safe havens, such as US Dollar.
Texas has put its economic reopening on hold as new coronavirus cases soar. The state saw 5,996 new cases on Thursday, the highest in the nation for the US which also set another daily record of 42,000 new daily infections.
Texas had adopted one of the most aggressive reopening plans, lifting restrictions far more quickly that New York, which is faring much better.
On the domestic data front, US Durable goods beat expectations jumping +15.5%. US GDP also confirmed a -5% contraction on an annualised basis in the first quarter. However, US initial jobless claims revealed that the US labour market improvement showed signs of slowing.
Today investors will look to US personal consumption expenditure data and consumer confidence for further impetus.
