Tedious: The Pound Won’t Go Higher

By Pete Southern in Currency Articles | January 8, 2014 11:25 | Tags: , ,

The Pound is little moved against the Euro and US Dollar as investors await the release of a report which economists expect will show that UK house prices will rise at a slower pace in December. Prices are forecast to have risen by 0.9% in December, down from the 1.1% rise seen in November. The currency is likely to see volatility later in the session due to the release of important data releases from the USA and Eurozone.

US Dollar

The US Dollar is heading for a five-year high against the Japanese Yen, but is little moved against the rest of its major peers as the market awaits the release of the minutes for the Federal Reserve’s December policy meeting. Economists will be looking for signs as to when a tapering to the Central Bank’s monetary easing programme will begin.

The Euro

The Euro is softer against a number of peers as the market awaits the release of Eurozone unemployment and retail sales data. The number of Europeans out of work in the single currency bloc is expected to remain at 12.1% whilst sales are expected to show some improvement. If either report comes in below forecast we can expect the single currency to weaken against its peers.

Australian Dollar

The ‘Aussie’ has fallen against the majority of its most traded peers due to high speculation that the US Federal Reserve will continue to cut its stimulus programme which has bolstered commodity and emerging market currencies. The currency was also weakened by data which showed that construction activity in Australia declined in December.

New Zealand Dollar

The New Zealand Dollar pushed higher to come close to a five-year high against its Australian relation but softened against other peers as the market focuses on the Federal Reserve minutes which are due for release this afternoon.

Canadian Dollar

The Canadian Dollar tumbled against the Pound and hit a three-year low against its US relation after data released yesterday showed that Canada’s trade deficit widened by nine times the figure forecast by economists. The data has increased speculation that Canadian Central Bank will cut interest rates in an effort to support the economy.

South African Rand

The South African Rand was slightly firmer against the Dollar on Wednesday after better than expected foreign exchange reserves data. The Rand is likely to fall in the afternoon however following the release of the Federal Reserve minutes. Any suggestion that the Fed will expand on tapering its easing programme will weaken the emerging market currency.

Disclaimer: This update is provided by TorFX, a leading foreign exchange broker, its content is authorised for reuse by affiliates.

Pete Southern About Pete Southern
Pete Southern is an active trader, chartist and writer for market blogs. He is currently technical analysis contributor and admin at this here blog.



Most Popular Content

Currency Articles - May 22, 2019 15:21 - 0 Comments

The Pound is in Freefall – When Will It Stop?

More In Currency Articles


Gold and Oil News - Feb 13, 2024 2:04 - 0 Comments

Gold Prices Slip Ahead of Anticipated Economic Data

More In Gold and Oil News


Shares and Markets - Oct 14, 2023 19:01 - 0 Comments

U.S. Stock Indices: A Dance Between Optimism and Fear

More In Shares and Markets