GBP/USD Exchange rate
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD holds firm above 1.1750 as risk flows dominate
EUR/USD stays firm above 1.1760 in European trading hours on Wednesday, bolstered by improved risk sentiment, which dents the US Dollar's safe-haven appeal. Confidence returned on headlines indicating the United States and Iran are moving towards a deal to end the conflict. The deal would involve both sides lifting restrictions on transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
USD/JPY off lows, still down 1% on likely 'Yentervention'
USD/JPY is off ten-week lows but remains heavy near 156.00 in early Europe on Wednesday. Markets speculate another round of FX intervention by Japan's authorities behind the latest leg up in the Japanese Yen, keeping the bearish pressure intact on the currency pair.
Gold continues scaling higher; retakes $4,700 amid peace deal hopes
Gold extends its intraday ascent and climbs to an over one-week high, re-attempting $4,700 in Wednesday's European session. The US Dollar weakens across the board amid optimism over a potential US-Iran peace deal, helping the commodity to build on its recovery from a more than one-month trough, around the $4,500 mark set on Monday.
ADP Employment Report set to show US job market gained momentum in April
Developments in the Middle East conflict are likely to remain at the forefront this week, but investors will also keep an eye on a string of US labour market figures.
UK 30-year gilts hit 5.78%, the highest since 1998: what is being priced in? Premium
UK 30-year gilts traded as high as 5.78% on Tuesday, the highest level since 1998, while 10-year yields topped 5.10% with markets pricing in nearly three-quarter-point Bank of England (BoE) rate hikes this year.
Majors
Cryptocurrencies
Signatures
GBP/USD
The GBP/USD (or Pound Dollar) currency pair belongs to the group of 'Majors', referring to the most important and widely traded pairs in the world. The pair is also known as “the Cable”, a term originating in the mid-19th century that refers to the first transatlantic telegraph connecting Great Britain and the United States.
As a closely watched and widely traded currency pair, it features the British Pound as the base currency and the US Dollar as the counter currency. For that reason, macroeconomic data from both the United States and the United Kingdom significantly impacts its price. One notable event that affected the volatility of the pair was Brexit.
HISTORIC HIGHS AND LOWS FOR GBP/USD
- All-time records: Max: 2.4334 October 1980 – Min: 1.0339 on 23/09/2022
- Last 5 years: Max: 1.4248 on 28/05/2021 – Min: 1.0339 on 23/09/2022
* Data as of December 2024
GBP/USD 2025 FORECAST
In the GBP/USD 2025 Forecast , FXStreet Analyst Dhwani Mehta indicates divergence between United States Federal Reserve (Fed) and Bank of England (BoE) monetary policy expectations and Donald Trump’s announced protectionist measures may strengthen the US Dollar (USD).
The Fed is signaling a more cautious approach to monetary policy as it navigates strong economic growth and rising inflationary pressures under the new Trump administration. From a technical point of view, the GBP/USD pair faces further downside after breaking below the 18-month rising wedge support at 1.2682, with the RSI in negative territory. Key support levels are 1.2037, 1.1802, and 1.1500, potentially leading to the 1.1000 mark. Recovery attempts face resistance at 1.2900, with bullish momentum only confirmed above 1.3490.
INFLUENTIAL CURRENCIES FOR GBP/USD
The GBP/USD pair can also be impacted by other currencies, in particular the Euro (EUR), the Canadian Dollar (CAD), the Japanese Yen (JPY) and the Chinese yuan renminbi (CNY). This group also includes the following currency pairs: EUR/USD , USD/JPY , AUD/USD , USD/CHF, NZD/USD , USD/CAD , GBP/JPY and EUR/JPY .
INFLUENTIAL ORGANIZATIONS FOR GBP/USD
The Bank of England (BoE) : Founded in 1694, the Bank of England (BoE) is the central bank of the United Kingdom (UK). Known as ‘The old lady of Threadneedle Street’, the bank’s mission is "to promote the good of the people of the United Kingdom by maintaining monetary and financial stability". The Bank of England is responsible for maintaining the UK’s economic stability. It operates monetary policy by adjusting the Bank Rate and, in certain circumstances, supplements this with measures such as quantitative easing.
The Bank of England decides monetary policy for the United Kingdom. Its primary goal is to achieve a steady inflation rate of 2%. Its tool for achieving this is via the adjustment of base lending rates. The BoE sets the rate at which it lends to commercial banks and banks lend to each other, determining the level of interest rates in the economy overall. This also impacts the value of the Pound Sterling (GBP).
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The Federal Reserve (Fed) is the central bank of the United States (US) and it has two main targets: to maintain the unemployment rate at its lowest possible levels and to keep inflation around 2%. The Federal Reserve System's structure is composed of the presidentially appointed Board of Governors and the partially appointed Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). The FOMC organizes eight scheduled meetings in a year to review economic and financial conditions. It also determines the appropriate stance of monetary policy and assesses the risks to its long-run goals of price stability and sustainable economic growth. The FOMC Minutes, which are released by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve weeks after the latest meeting, are a guide to the future US interest-rate policy.
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London’s City Financial District: One of the largest and most developed financial markets in the world, it plays a pivotal role in driving the UK’s economic growth, with banking and finance serving as significant contributors to the national economy.
The European Central Bank (ECB) is the central bank empowered to manage monetary policy for the Eurozone. It also influences the Cable (GBP/USD) due to the significant trade and business ties between the Eurozone and the UK. Any macroeconomic decision by the ECB impacts the Eurozone's commercial partners. As the world’s second-most important currency after the US Dollar, movements by the ECB often have far-reaching implications for its trading partners.