GBP/USD under policy pressure: What lies ahead for the Prime Minister?
GBP/USD held at 1.3528 on Thursday following an overnight decline. The pound remains under pressure, close to its lowest levels since late April, amid media reports of a potential leadership contest within the ruling party. According to The Times, British Health Minister Wes Streeting is preparing to launch a campaign against Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Despite pressure from parts of the government and more than 80 Labour Party MPs, Starmer has reiterated that he does not intend to resign following the party’s weak performance in the local elections. The cabinet composition remains largely stable, despite a few resignations from junior ministers. Read more…
British Pound holds above 1.3500, as UK GDP, manufacturing data beat expectations
The Pound (GBP) remains practically flat against the US Dollar (USD) on Thursday, trading at 1.3520 at the moment of writing, and consolidating losses after pulling back from 1.3650 highs earlier in the week. The pair, however, is likely to draw some support from UK data, as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and manufacturing figures released on Thursday have beaten market expectations.
British preliminary Q1 GDP data revealed that the economy accelerated to a 0.6% growth in the first three months of the year, as expected, following a 0.2% growth in the previous quarter. The positive surprise, however, was the 0.3% GDP growth posted in March, which beats expectations of a 0.2% contraction and eases concerns about a sharp economic downturn stemming from the war in Iran. Read more…
About The Author
