Pound Sterling recovers against USD as US recession fears boost Fed dovish bets
- The Pound Sterling rebounds to near 1.2800 against the US Dollar as traders have raised Fed dovish bets for the June meeting.
- The US-China trade war could lead the UK economy into a downturn.
- Fed Goolsbee stated that there is no generic answer to what the central bank should do to contain stagflation.
The Pound Sterling (GBP) bounces back to near 1.2800 against the US Dollar (USD) in Tuesday’s European session from over a month’s low of 1.2708 posted on Monday. The GBP/USD pair recovers as the US Dollar resumes its downside move after a short-lived recovery in the last two trading days. The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback’s value against six major currencies, tumbles to near 102.90.
The Greenback remains on the backfoot as traders have become increasingly confident that the Federal Reserve (Fed) could reduce interest rates earlier this year to offset fears of potential United States (US) economic recession. According to the CME FedWatch tool, traders are almost certain that the central bank will resume its monetary policy easing cycle in the June policy meeting, which it paused in January.
The imposition of reciprocal tariffs by US President Donald Trump and fears of countermeasures by China and the Eurozone have stemmed the risks of a recession in the US. Investment banking firm Goldman Sachs has raised the probability of the US entering a recession to 45% from 35%, as anticipated last week.
The commentary from Fed officials has indicated that they are clueless about how protectionist policies by the President will shape the economic and the monetary policy outlook. Chicago Federal Reserve Bank President Austan Goolsbee said in an interview with CNN on Monday, "The anxiety is if these tariffs are as big as what are threatened on the US side, and if there’s massive retaliation, and then if there’s counter-retaliation again, it might send us back to the kind of conditions that we saw in 2021-22 when inflation was raging out of control," Reuters report.
Goolsbee added that our job is to look at the “hard data”, and if we have something that is called “stagflation,” then there is no “generic answer” to what the Fed should do “in response to that".
Daily digest market movers: Pound Sterling weakens against its risky peers
- The Pound Sterling underperforms its risky peers on Tuesday as financial market participants expect Donald Trump’s tariffs-led fears of global economic slowdown could send the United Kingdom (UK) economy into a downturn. Market experts believe the trade war will be majorly between the US and China as the latter has announced retaliatory measures despite Trump’s warning his trading partners not to retaliate after imposing reciprocal tariffs on April 2. Though the Eurozone is also planning countermeasures in the face of a new suite of tariffs by Donald Trump, the region is still expected to negotiate humbly.
- A massive trade war between the US and China would result in the dumping of products by Chinese firms to other markets. Given the competitiveness of Chinese firms in manufacturing goods at cheaper rates compared to other nations, UK businesses would be incapable of competing against them in a pricing war. Such a scenario would lead to a sharp decline in UK business activity, which will be unfavorable for the Pound Sterling.
- With UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer already sensing the pricing war has vowed to protect domestic firms from the storm of Trump tariffs. "We stand ready to use industrial policy to help shelter British business from the storm," Starmer said over the weekend.
- Escalating fears of UK economic risks could also force Bank of England (BoE) officials to adopt an aggressive monetary policy easing approach this year. The BoE has cut interest rates in one of two policy meetings in 2025 and is expected to deliver two more this year.
- This week, the British currency will be influenced by the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) data for March and the monthly UK Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data for February, which will be released on Thursday and Friday, respectively.
Technical Analysis: Pound Sterling bounces back to near 1.2800
The Pound Sterling recovers around 1.2800 against the US Dollar on Tuesday after facing intense selling pressure in the last two trading days. The GBP/USD pair trades below the 20-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA), which is around 1.2887, suggesting that the near-term trend is bearish.
The 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) falls to near 40.00. A fresh bearish momentum could be triggered if the RSI fails to hold the 40.00 level.
Looking down, the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement plotted from late September high to mid-January low, near 1.2600, will act as a key support zone for the pair. On the upside, the psychological figure of 1.3000 will act as a key resistance zone.
Pound Sterling FAQs
The Pound Sterling (GBP) is the oldest currency in the world (886 AD) and the official currency of the United Kingdom. It is the fourth most traded unit for foreign exchange (FX) in the world, accounting for 12% of all transactions, averaging $630 billion a day, according to 2022 data. Its key trading pairs are GBP/USD, also known as ‘Cable’, which accounts for 11% of FX, GBP/JPY, or the ‘Dragon’ as it is known by traders (3%), and EUR/GBP (2%). The Pound Sterling is issued by the Bank of England (BoE).
The single most important factor influencing the value of the Pound Sterling is monetary policy decided by the Bank of England. The BoE bases its decisions on whether it has achieved its primary goal of “price stability” – a steady inflation rate of around 2%. Its primary tool for achieving this is the adjustment of interest rates. When inflation is too high, the BoE will try to rein it in by raising interest rates, making it more expensive for people and businesses to access credit. This is generally positive for GBP, as higher interest rates make the UK a more attractive place for global investors to park their money. When inflation falls too low it is a sign economic growth is slowing. In this scenario, the BoE will consider lowering interest rates to cheapen credit so businesses will borrow more to invest in growth-generating projects.
Data releases gauge the health of the economy and can impact the value of the Pound Sterling. Indicators such as GDP, Manufacturing and Services PMIs, and employment can all influence the direction of the GBP. A strong economy is good for Sterling. Not only does it attract more foreign investment but it may encourage the BoE to put up interest rates, which will directly strengthen GBP. Otherwise, if economic data is weak, the Pound Sterling is likely to fall.
Another significant data release for the Pound Sterling is the Trade Balance. This indicator measures the difference between what a country earns from its exports and what it spends on imports over a given period. If a country produces highly sought-after exports, its currency will benefit purely from the extra demand created from foreign buyers seeking to purchase these goods. Therefore, a positive net Trade Balance strengthens a currency and vice versa for a negative balance.