British Pound steadies above 1.3400 vs USD on mixed BoE cues, UK political and Iran risks
The GBP/USD pair is seen oscillating in a narrow trading band during the Asian session on Friday, though it remains on track to register modest weekly gains. Spot prices remain capped near the 100-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) and currently trade around the 1.3425-1.3430 region, nearly unchanged for the day.
The British Pound (GBP) has been struggling to attract any meaningful buyers amid mixed signals over the Bank of England’s (BoE) policy outlook and the UK political uncertainty. In fact, Swati Dhingra, an external MPC member, said that the BoE might not need to raise rates if its “scenario B” – where higher energy prices have only moderate second-round effects – materialises. In contrast, fellow external member Catherine Mann warned that high inflation in late 2026 could become embedded in wage deals for 2027. Read more…
Pound Sterling holds up as the BoE talks hawkish into a slowdown
Sterling spent Thursday looking sturdier than it had any right to. UK flash surveys were ugly, the Composite Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) dropping into the high 40s against forecasts above 51, the all-important services reading tipping into contraction, and manufacturing the only line on the page that beat. Layer on a GfK consumer confidence figure that slid further into the gloom, and the domestic backdrop offered nothing worth buying.
And yet the Bank of England (BoE) picked this exact moment to sound hawkish. Remarks from one Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) member landed firmly on the tightening side of the ledger, an awkward look set against survey data that points to a stalling economy. Governor Bailey also spoke without shifting the needle much. The juxtaposition is the whole story: a central bank flagging inflation risk while its own activity numbers warn of a slowdown, the sort of bind that rarely resolves cleanly for a currency. Markets were left to decide whether to trust the rhetoric or the readings, and on Thursday they politely ignored both. Read more…
British Pound falls as Iran deal doubts and weak UK PMI weigh
The GBP/USD pair falls by about 0.20% on Thursday amid concerns that the US and Iran couldn’t reach a deal, while strong US economic data was a headwind for the Pound Sterling (GBP), which dips amid weakening UK business activity. At the time of writing, the pair trades at 1.3406 after peaking near 1.3455.
Cable enjoyed a volatile ride during the week, posting gains of 0.65% weekly, sponsored by Andy Burnham, the challenger to succeed the UK PM Keir Starmer, who said that he wouldn’t change Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ fiscal rules if he becomes the new PM. However, geopolitics is back on the front page, with Iran’s supreme leader issuing orders that near-weapons-grade uranium should not be sent abroad, toughening Tehran’s stance, according to two senior Iranian sources. Read more…
Source: https://www.fxstreet.com/news/pound-sterling-price-news-and-forecast-gbp-usd-struggles-to-gain-any-meaningful-traction-202605220531








