Investing.com – Last week saw the pound rebound from a two-month low against the U.S. dollar to close higher, as expectations that the Bank of England will raise interest rates in the coming months supported the pound.
GBP/USD hit 1.5936 on Monday, the pair’s lowest since January 31; the pair subsequently consolidated at 1.6107 by close of trade on Friday, gaining 0.65% over the week.
Cable is likely to find support at 1.5963, Monday’s low and resistance at 1.6150, Thursday’s high and a five-day high.
The pound advanced against the greenback on Friday after New York Federal Reserve President William Dudley said he saw no reason to adjust the central bank's loose monetary policy despite encouraging U.S. jobs data.
Earlier in the day, the U.S. Department of Labor said that payrolls rose by 216,000 in March after a 194,000 gain the prior month, outstripping expectations for a 188,000 increase. The unemployment rate unexpectedly slid to a two-year low of 8.8%, from 8.9% in February, the Labor Department said.
Also Friday, data showed that British manufacturing activity growth was weaker-than-expected in March. The Markit/CIPS manufacturing purchasing manager’s index fell to a five-month low of 57.1 in March from a downwardly revised 60.9 in February. Analysts had expected the index to dip to 60.6.
The worse-than-expected data underlined the dilemma facing Bank of England policymakers over how to tackle persistently above-target inflation without harming the economic recovery.
Next week, the BoE is to announce its benchmark interest rate. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve is to publish the minutes of its most recent policy setting meeting.
Ahead of the coming week, Investing.com has compiled a list of these and other significant events likely to affect the markets.
Monday, April 4
The U.K. is to publish official data on growth in the construction industry, an important indicator of economic health. Elsewhere, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is to speak at a public engagement; his comments will be closely watched for clues to the future possible direction of monetary policy.
Tuesday, April 5
The U.K. is to publish a report on service sector activity, a leading indicator of economic health.
Later in the day, the Federal Reserve is to publish the minutes of the most recent policy setting meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee. The minutes contain in-depth insights into the economic and financial conditions that influenced their vote on where to set interest rates. Meanwhile, the U.S. Institute of Supply Management is to publish a report on service sector growth, a leading indicator of economic health.
Wednesday, April 6
In the U.K., the National Institute of Economic and Social Research is to publish its monthly estimate of gross domestic product, in an effort to predict the quarterly government data. The U.K. is also to publish government data on manufacturing production, a leading indicator of economic health.
Thursday, April 7
The U.S. is to publish a key weekly report on initial jobless claims, the nation’s earliest employment data as well as data on consumer credit and natural gas inventories.
Also Thursday, the BoE is to announce its official bank rate.
Friday, April 8
The U.K. is to publish official data on producer price inflation, a leading indicator of consumer inflation. Meanwhile, the U.S. is to round up the week with a report on wholesale inventories, an important indicator of future business spending.
GBP/USD hit 1.5936 on Monday, the pair’s lowest since January 31; the pair subsequently consolidated at 1.6107 by close of trade on Friday, gaining 0.65% over the week.
Cable is likely to find support at 1.5963, Monday’s low and resistance at 1.6150, Thursday’s high and a five-day high.
The pound advanced against the greenback on Friday after New York Federal Reserve President William Dudley said he saw no reason to adjust the central bank's loose monetary policy despite encouraging U.S. jobs data.
Earlier in the day, the U.S. Department of Labor said that payrolls rose by 216,000 in March after a 194,000 gain the prior month, outstripping expectations for a 188,000 increase. The unemployment rate unexpectedly slid to a two-year low of 8.8%, from 8.9% in February, the Labor Department said.
Also Friday, data showed that British manufacturing activity growth was weaker-than-expected in March. The Markit/CIPS manufacturing purchasing manager’s index fell to a five-month low of 57.1 in March from a downwardly revised 60.9 in February. Analysts had expected the index to dip to 60.6.
The worse-than-expected data underlined the dilemma facing Bank of England policymakers over how to tackle persistently above-target inflation without harming the economic recovery.
Next week, the BoE is to announce its benchmark interest rate. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve is to publish the minutes of its most recent policy setting meeting.
Ahead of the coming week, Investing.com has compiled a list of these and other significant events likely to affect the markets.
Monday, April 4
The U.K. is to publish official data on growth in the construction industry, an important indicator of economic health. Elsewhere, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is to speak at a public engagement; his comments will be closely watched for clues to the future possible direction of monetary policy.
Tuesday, April 5
The U.K. is to publish a report on service sector activity, a leading indicator of economic health.
Later in the day, the Federal Reserve is to publish the minutes of the most recent policy setting meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee. The minutes contain in-depth insights into the economic and financial conditions that influenced their vote on where to set interest rates. Meanwhile, the U.S. Institute of Supply Management is to publish a report on service sector growth, a leading indicator of economic health.
Wednesday, April 6
In the U.K., the National Institute of Economic and Social Research is to publish its monthly estimate of gross domestic product, in an effort to predict the quarterly government data. The U.K. is also to publish government data on manufacturing production, a leading indicator of economic health.
Thursday, April 7
The U.S. is to publish a key weekly report on initial jobless claims, the nation’s earliest employment data as well as data on consumer credit and natural gas inventories.
Also Thursday, the BoE is to announce its official bank rate.
Friday, April 8
The U.K. is to publish official data on producer price inflation, a leading indicator of consumer inflation. Meanwhile, the U.S. is to round up the week with a report on wholesale inventories, an important indicator of future business spending.