- Pound (GBP) edges higher after public holiday
- Covid cases & Brexit concerns continue to linger
- Euro (EUR) shrugged off surging German inflation
- Eurozone CPI data in focus
The Pound Euro (GBP/EUR) exchange rate is ticking a few pips higher paring mild losses in the previous session. The pair saw a quiet start to the new week settling -0.04% lower at €1.1660 on Monday, after moving in a 20-pip ranged. At 05:45 UTC, GBP/EUR trades +0.04% at €1.1665.
The Pound was quiet at the start of the week owing to thin bank holiday volume. With a light UK economic calendar across the week the Pound could struggle to gain traction. Instead covid cases and Brexit concerns are likely to continue lingers over Sterling.
The UK continues to record over 30,000 new covid cases daily. With schools set to return after the summer break this week there are growing fears that this number could soon climb even higher.
The Euro barely moved in the previous session despite German consumer prices hitting a 13 year high in August. German CPI inflation rose 3.9% year on year compared to 3.8% in July according to the Federal Statistics Office. This was in line with analysts’ expectations and marked the highest rise in prices since December 1993 when the economy powered ahead on the reunification.
Inflation prices rose in August amid the ongoing economic recovery from the pandemic and as companies experience supply shortages. Recent rises in producer prices and import prices suggest that the rise in inflation could be more persistent than initially expected.
German central bank chief Jens Weidmann has spoken of his concern over the European Central Bank keeping interest rates low and monetary policy loose for an extended period of time. He warned inflation could reach 5% in Germany later this year.
Attention will now turn to Eurozone inflation figures which are expected to show that consumer prices rose 2.8% annually in August, up from 2.2% in July and 1.9% in June. Core CPI is expected to rise to 1.5%. A higher CPI read could boost the Euro.