As I type, the £-€ exchange rate is trading at a 3-week low. Overall the pair is still up 0.5% on the month, but we expect to see a 1%+ change from the current position once we learn of the BoE's interest rate decision. The £-$ exchange rate is at a 2-week low, but is still up 1.5% on the month as it stands.
This week, we enter a stick or twist moment for anyone with exchanges in the pipeline. The main event is the UK's interest rate decision, which money markets now put an interest rate cut at just over 50% likely to happen.
Money markets have been terrible at predicting when a central bank will cut interest rates for well over a year now, so we shouldn't get too excited that one will happen. But the 'bad luck' has to run out at some point and it does feel like a rate cut will happen sooner rather than later.
If one arrives this month, GBP will undoubtedly weaken. By how much is hard to predict, but if we had to guess we would imagine a 1% devaluation. If one doesn't come, then all bets will be for a rate cut next month (dependent on what the MPC say of course). In this scenario we should see an immediate GBP bounce..
EUR Last Thursday, €-£ saw its biggest daily gain since April. This was on the back of investors betting a UK interest rate cut is imminent. Before that decision and following meeting though, the Euro has the chance of putting more pressure on GBP or giving up the recent gains.
All the major players have a pretty stacked economic calendar this week and the Euro-Zone is no different. GDP & inflation are key releases and i'm sure they won't be overshadowed by the 'on-paper' more significant interest rate releases. German data puts an extra spice onto things this week being the 'sick' child of the European economy at the moment.
USD All eyes will be on the Fed this week with their interest rate decision and following press conference. No rate cut is expected, but you never know! Guidance on when one will arrive is key, but for now the USD continues to make small gains across the board since the mini stock market crash a couple of weeks ago.
Upcoming Data | Monday 29th July 2024 | 20:00 US - Treasury refunding financing estimates
| Tuesday 30th July 2024 | 08:00 EU - Spanish GDP & inflation rate 09:00 EU - German & Italian GDP 10:00 EU - Euro-Zone GDP & economic/industrial sentiment 12:00 EU - Spanish business confidence 13:00 EU - German inflation rate 14:00 US - House price index 15:00 US - Consumer confidence |
Wednesday 31st July 2024 | 05:30 EU - Dutch inflation rate 07:00 EU - German retail sales 07:45 EU - French inflation rate 08:55 EU - German unemployment rate 10:00 EU - Euro-Zone & Italian inflation rate 12:00 US - Mortgage applications 13:15 US - Employment change 13:30 US - Employment cost & treasury refunding announcement 15:00 US - Pending home sales 19:00 US - Fed interest rate decision 19:30 US - Fed press conference |
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| Thursday 1st August 2024 | 07:00 UK - House prices 08:15 EU - Spanish manufacturing PMI 08:45 EU - Italian manufacturing PMI 09:00 EU - ECB economic bulletin & Italian unemployment rate 10:00 EU - Euro-Zone unemployment rate 12:00 UK - BoE interest rate decision & MPC meeting 13:30 US - Initial/continuing jobless claims 14:15 UK - BoE Governor Bailey 15:00 US - Manufacturing PMI & construction spending |
| Friday 2nd August 2024 | 07:45 EU - French industrial production 08:00 EU - Spanish unemployment change 09:00 EU - Italian industrial production 10:00 EU - Italian retail sales 12:15 UK - BoE member Pill speech 13:30 US - Non-farm payrolls, unemployment rate & average earnings 15:00 US - Factory orders
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