Bolstered by BoE rate talk, pound keeps up pressure on dollar, euro

Thursday,   14-Jan-2021   04:41 PM (IST)

Sterling rose on Thursday as pushed-back expectations for negative interest rates from the Bank of England and hopes for a quicker economic recovery in Britain given its lead in vaccinations across Europe buoyed the currency. The pound has gained against the dollar and euro, 1% and 1.5% respectively this week after Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey threw a dampener on market expectations for sub-zero rates in Britain. Market pricing for negative interest rates from the central bank has been pushed back by nearly a month, with negative rates now expected in June 2021, compared with May 2021 earlier. By 0904 GMT, sterling was 0.1% higher to the dollar at $1.3657, not far off $1.3701 hit earlier this week. ING said the re-pricing of Bank of England negative rates expectations has fuelled euro-sterling downside momentum and the pair may re-test the 89-pence support today. Sterling was 0.2% higher to the euro at 89.025 pence, off its highest levels against the single currency - 88.84 pence - since Dec. 24. With the uncertainty around a Brexit deal now largely gone, analysts are increasingly focused on Britain’s economy and its prospects. Cases of COVID-19 disease have continued to surge in Britain, forcing renewed lockdowns. A boom in Britain’s housing market has started to fade, curtailed by the new lockdowns and the coming expiry of a temporary tax cut for buyers, a survey showed on Thursday. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors’ monthly gauge of new buyer enquiries fell in December to a seven-month low of +15% from +26% in November.