Tampilkan postingan dengan label Why has Pound fallen against Euro. Tampilkan semua postingan
Tampilkan postingan dengan label Why has Pound fallen against Euro. Tampilkan semua postingan

Selasa, 13 Oktober 2015

Sterling falls on poor UK inflation figures

Tuesday 13th October 2015 
Volatility has returned to the markets, and since my last post on Friday we have seen the Pound/Euro rate drop a further 2 cents, dipping into the €1.33’s this morning, and is currently settled at around €1.34 as you can see from the chart below: 


Poor UK Inflation figures weaken Sterling 

The reason for the drop of over 1 cent this morning was due to poor UK inflation figures. This morning the Consumer Price Index (CPI) fell into negative territory at -0.1%. This is worse than expected, and pours cold water on any hope the Bank of England will be raising interest rates. As the pressure is off the BoE, investors are not going to be buying Sterling in a hurry, and as such the Pound has weakened. The effect on the exchange rate is that levels have dropped off across the board. 

Do you have Euros to convert to Pounds? 

While the market movements today are bad news for those buying a foreign currency with Sterling, those that have Euros to convert back to Pounds will be rejoicing! The current EUR/GBP rate is the best it’s been since January. If you will have Euros or indeed any other currency to convert to Sterling, then it’s worth serious consideration to locking a rate in now. Even if you don’t have your funds available now, you can still use my services to guarantee today’s rate for up to 2 years in to the future, using a ‘Forward contract’. (Click here to send me an enquiry to find out more). 

Need the best exchange rates? 

If you would like to discuss the currency markets to help you decide when to fix an exchange rate, or would like to get a quote for your currency exchange to compare with your bank or existing broker, then click here to send me a free enquiry today. 

I will get in touch with you personally, and often better rates available at banks or other currency brokers by as much as 3%, so it's certainly worth getting in touch to see what I can do for you. 

Jumat, 02 Oktober 2015

Why has Pound/Euro fallen to €1.34?

Friday 2nd October 2015
The Pound/Euro rate has fallen sharply today, dropping from €1.36 to €1.3450 as you can see from the chart below: 




Why has the Pound fallen against the Euro? 

It was actually due to data from the United States. At 13:30pm today the USA released their Non-Farm Payrolls data, which shows the number of new jobs created (not including agricultural jobs as they are seasonal, hence the name non-farm). The markets expected 203,000 new jobs, but the actual figure was a dismal 142,000. 

Because the number was worse than expected, investors sold the US Dollar and bought the safe haven Euro, causing it to gain strength and become more expensive to buy. This is why GBP/EUR fell sharply at 13:30pm as you can see from the graph above. You can see the inverse correlation for Sterling/Dollar, which rose as the Dollar weakened: 

 
 
Need the best exchange rates? 

If you would like to discuss the currency markets to help you decide when to fix an exchange rate, or would like to get a quote for your currency exchange to compare with your bank or existing broker, then click here to send me a free enquiry today. 

I will get in touch with you personally, and often better rates available at banks or other currency brokers by as much as 3%, so it's certainly worth getting in touch to see what I can do for you. 

Selasa, 01 September 2015

Which way could Pound/Euro rates go September 2015?

Tuesday 1st September 2015 
Good morning and welcome back to my regular currency updates after the Bank Holiday weekend. While here in the UK it was dismal weather, heavy traffic and only the lack of a James Bond movie to complete the typical August Bank holiday hat-trick, over in Europe it was business as usual and markets were open. 

Numbers released yesterday and again this morning from Europe were better than expected, with both Strong German Retail Sales and a better than expected EU inflation numbers giving the Euro a boost. This has pushed exchange rates lower. This morning we saw the Euro gain further strength due to better than forecast EU jobs numbers. 

The Euro has been getting stronger and stronger recently, as those with an eye on the GBP/EUR rate will have noticed. In the last month the rate has plummeted by over 8 cents, seriously affecting those trying to budget for a Euro purchase. As I outlined in a recent post, the reason for the decline is two-fold. Firstly we have the Pound weakening off due to the expectation of a UK interest rate hike being pushed back. The second reason is a stronger Euro due to a resolution of the Greek debt crisis and a resurgent EU economy that now seems to be growing at a steady pace, with the help from the ECB Stimulus seemingly having the desired effect. 

I do think that rates will eventually recover to €1.40 again, but this is now a medium to long term forecast. In the coming weeks and months, if we continue to see strong economic figures from Europe then the single currency could continue to become more expensive. 

Below I’ve listed what I think could affect exchange rates for the coming months. If you have a currency transaction to perform and would like to discuss what rates I can offer you, then click here to send a free enquiry today. 

What could affect exchange rates in the first week of September? 

There are various things that change exchange rates, for example: Economic data, Political Uncertainty, Natural Disasters and acts of war. The first of these is the only one that is forecast in advance, and below are the main scheduled releases for the week ahead that I think could affect exchange rates. 

If you would like to have a more detailed chat about how the exchange rate you’re interested in could change in the coming weeks or months, then click here to send me a message and I will be happy to answer any questions you may have about timing your currency purchase. 

Monday 31st August 2015 – Yesterday we saw a raft of positive data from Europe, including strong German Retail Sales and higher than expected inflation data. This has pushed GBP/EUR exchange rates lower as the single currency gained in strength. 

Tuesday 1st September 2015 – More positive data was released from Europe this morning showing that German and Italian unemployment was better than expected. This pulled GBP/EUR down from €1.37 to €1.3560. UK data this morning included mortgage approvals that were better than expected, and credit and PMI numbers that were worse. Later today we will see Canadian GDP figures that could affect GBP/CAD rates, and US Manufacturing and Construction data that might change GBP/USD exchange rates. 

Wednesday 2nd September 2015 – We start the day with Australian GDP figure. Later in the morning we see UK Construction figures, and EU wide inflation numbers. Recent EU data has been good and if this continues to be the case, expect GBP/EUR to drop further. In the afternoon, US Employment data, Non-Farm Productivity and Factory orders could all affect cable. 

Thursday 3rd September 2015 – Lots from Europe today that could change GBP/EUR exchange rates, including Inflation data, and the latest ECB interest rate decision. While no change is expected, the press conference afterwards often contains hints about future policy and so could well affect the Euro. Later in the day, US manufacturing and Services PMI could affect GBP/USD. 

Friday 4th September 2015 – the G20 meeting starts today and so any surprises here could affect various currency pairs. Scheduled releases on the calendar other than this include EU GDP figures which I expect to show a monthly growth of 0.3%. In the USA it’s jobs day and the important Non-Farm Payroll numbers. Regular readers will know that this release is very difficult to forecast. The current expectation is for 220,000 new jobs to have been created. Any more than this, then expect GBP/USD to drop, and vice versa.


 

Rabu, 26 Agustus 2015

Sterling continues to fall against the Euro

Wednesday 26th August 2015
Following ‘Black Monday’ there continues to be volatility with Sterling exchange rates. Looking at Sterling/Euro in particular, the recent 8 year highs of €1.44 are now a distant memory. Rates have plunged in the last few weeks, and despite recovering a little yesterday, it fell again last night at is now stable around the €1.36 level as you can see from the chart below:


Further volatility expected on currency markets 

This all began Monday when a global rout in the stock markets was prompted by a huge share sell off in China. Fears of a global slowdown intensified in recent days after China devalued its currency and data pointed to further signs of weakness, triggering volatility in global stock and currency markets. 

Interest Rates 

China cut its interest rates this week in an effort to avert disaster, and investors are now questioning whether the Federal Reserve in the USA and the Bank of England in the UK can change interest rates. Much of the Pound’s strength in recent months was on expectations interest rates would rise later this year. Even the recent Bank of England inflation report gave investors’ confidence rates would rise within 6 months, boosting the value of Sterling. However with the latest global developments, it’s now likely to be late next year, or even 2017 before rates rise from their current 0.5%. As a result the Pound has weakened. 

Experts expect market volatility to continue until at least next month when the USA decides what to do on interest rates. Just a few weeks ago, most thought they would raise their interest rate, but now it’s more likely up to a year away. 

Safe Haven Currencies 

An unlikely benefactor of the recent turmoil has been the Euro. Now that Greece is out of the news following an agreement to provide an €86bn bailout, the Euro has gained strength as I had predicted it would do for some time. Their stimulus programme seems to be working, and actually the EU economy is looking more and more robust. This has meant that due to the global turmoil, investors view the single currency as a safe place to park their funds while avoiding stock market turmoil and this strength is also a factor in the GBP/EUR rate falling away sharply. 

Do you have a currency transaction to perform? 

If you have a foreign exchange need in the next 6 months, then the current volatility should be of concern and you should take steps explore all the options available to you. You can get in touch with me by clicking here, to get a quote and find out about how you can protect yourself against adverse market movements. 

Whether you are buying or selling property abroad, a business that deals in foreign currencies, or simply need to top up a foreign bank account, I can help. I have been a currency broker helping private and business clients get better rates than their banks or existing brokers offer for more than 10 years. 

Get in touch today for free, have a brief chat, and get a quote on your exchange to see how much you could save. 

Alastair Archbold

Kamis, 23 Juli 2015

Why has the Pound/Euro rate fallen?

Thursday 23rd July 2015
Sterling/Euro rates have been threatening to fall for a week now, and today the market took a plunge pushing GBP/EUR rates down into the €1.41’s. After a quick look at the chart, I’ll go into more detail regarding what caused the rate to fall, and whether the Pound will go back up against the Euro. 



Why has the Pound fallen against the Euro? 

The first reason was Greece, which is becoming a regular and tiresome topic in the currency world! However it looks like things are getting closed to being resolved. They have taken a crucial step towards a bailout after its parliament passed a second set of reforms today, and this has given confidence back to the Euro. This is why the market initially started dropping this morning. There had been fears of a rebellion by Greek MPs, but the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras got the required support. This means that negotiations can begin on approving the terms of a third bailout. It looks like a final deal will be sorted out within the next 3 weeks, and if so I’d expect the rate to drop even further. 

The second reason for the decline was some very poor UK Retail Sales numbers this morning. The number was expected to show a rise of 0.4%, but actually sales dropped by -0.2%. As retail sales are seen as a good overall barometer of economic activity, the news sent the Pound lower, pushing rates even further from the 8 year high of €1.44 we’ve recently seen. 

Will rates recover?

Moving Forwards, longer term I think rates will continue to remain strong due to the UK economy performing well, despite today’s poor numbers. However in the short to medium term, if the ongoing Greek saga finally ends with a full €86bn bailout, expect the GBP/EUR rate to fall sharply as the Euro regains strength. 

Do you have a currency transaction to perform? 

You can get in touch with me using the link below to obtain a quotation on your exchange. I usually have no problem beating rates from bank and other brokers, and even a small improvement in the rate can save you a significant amount of money. 

 

Senin, 08 Juni 2015

Greece defers debt payment, but Pound/Euro rates fail to recover

Monday 8th June 2015

Greece defers debt payment, but Pound/Euro rates fail to recover


On Friday, it was announced that Greece will defer the payment that was due, and lump it together with a series of other payments due into on single payment of €1.5bn at the end of the month. So given they didn’t make the payment, why didn’t the Euro weaken and GBP/EUR rates rise? 

The news was actually a non-event, and had been widely expected. In fact, the markets seem to think that the delay gives all parties additional negotiating time which could lead to a formal agreement to conclude the bailout. 

The Pound/Euro rate this morning has already fallen nearly a cent, due to the CBI cutting UK growth forecasts, weakening the Pound.

Other EU data in the last few days has been strong, which is stopping the Euro getting any weaker. If the Greeks can indeed come to a conclusion over their debts by the end of this month, expect GBP/EUR rates to fall further. 


Click here to get a quote on Euros

US Jobs data causes GBP/USD rates to fall 


On Friday we saw the latest US Non-Farm Payrolls, which is a measure of new jobs created excluding the agricultural sector (because that’s seasonal). The number was 50,000 more than expected, which is a very robust result for the US. As such, the US Dollar gained strength and pulled GBP/USD rates lower. 


What could affect exchange rates this week? 


Below I’ve listed the main scheduled releases that I think could affect exchange rates. Of course ongoing developments in Greece, and the current G7 meeting could also affect things at any time. For a more in depth discussion about what could affect the exchange rate you’re looking at, feel free to get in touch with me. 

Monday 8th June 2015 – Today is relatively quiet, with some Industrial Production data and Trade Balance numbers from Germany, which had little effect on exchange rates. Later today we have Retail Sales numbers from the UK that are a good barometer of overall UK economic activity. If good, Sterling may gain. 

Tuesday 9th June 2015 – IN the UK today we have an inflation report. Depending what it contains, it could cause speculation on when UK interest rates may rise, and so could affect the Pound. We also have EU Gross Domestic Product. I’m expecting a quarterly reading of +0.4%. If the actual number is higher than this then GBP/EUR rates could fall. 

Wednesday 10th June 2015 – Today is a very important one for the UK. We have: Manufacturing Production, Industrial Production, RICS House Prices and the latest GDP estimate from the NIESR. All of these releases give a good idea how the UK economy is faring, and so simply put, better than expected numbers would strengthen the Pound and vice versa. Further afield, New Zealand has its latest Interest Rate decision and policy press conference, so GBP/NZD could also be affected. 

Thursday 11th June 2015 – Today Australian releases lots of Unemployment numbers along with House prices, so those watching the GBP/AUD rate should watch for today. Over in the United States we have Jobless Claims, and the latest measure of US Retail Sales. If these numbers continue to show an improvement in the US Economy, expect GBP/USD rates to fall. 

Friday 12th June 2015 – A very quiet end to the week, with the only data of note Germany wholesale Prices and US inflation data. 

To discuss your currency requirement, find out what data could affect the exchange rate you’re looking at, or to simply get a quote on the exchange rate I can offer you, follow the link below. 

Rabu, 03 Juni 2015

Pound/Euro rates fall to €1.36 on ECB comments

Wednesday 3rd June 2015 
Not good news for those looking to convert Sterling to Euros I’m afraid. The decline in the GBP/EUR rate has continued today, as you can see from today’s chart: 


The reason for the continued fall today was further strength in the Euro. This was caused by the European Central Bank (ECB) saying that Eurozone’s recovery is set to "broaden and strengthen", as it raised its inflation projections for 2015. ECB president Mario Draghi's comments came in a press conference earlier today. 

This is good news for the EU economy, and strengthened the single currency causing it to become more expensive to buy. The next thing that could affect the rate will be whether Greece makes it's first debt payment on Friday. If they do, then expect the rate to fall further. If they don't then it may recover slightly, but I can't see it getting back to €1.40 any time soon.

What effect did this have on Pound/Euro exchange rates?


The effect on the GBP/EUR rate was for it to drop from €1.3775 to €1.36. This is a far cry from the levels of €1.41 we saw just a week ago, and really demonstrates how quickly exchange rates can change. To put this into real terms, a client purchasing €250,000.00 today has to pay £6500.00 more for the same amount of currency compared to a week ago. 

Fluctuations in the exchange rate can make a big difference to the cost of buying currency, which is why it’s wise to use a specialist broker like myself rather than the bank. I can not only help you to achieve much better rates of exchange, but also help with tools such as ‘Stop Loss’ orders that limits any negative effect of the exchange rate dropping. 

If you need to buy or sell Euros or indeed any international currency, then get in touch with me for a free quote and more information about the services I can provide. I will get back to you personally within 24 hours to discuss your requirements and give you a free consultation on the different options you can consider. I look forward to hearing from you.

Alastair Archbold 

Senin, 30 Maret 2015

Sterling/Euro exchange rates & the General Election

Monday 30th March 2015
Exchange rates have been a little more stable in the last week, with the Pound/Euro rate remaining in a 2 cent range between 1.3550 and 1.3750 as the chart below illustrates: 



Interest Rates and Exchange Rates


In my last post, I pointed out the Bank of England’s chief economist had warned interest rates may need to be cut to combat zero inflation. Well on Friday the day after my post, the governor Mark Carney said precisely the opposite, which is that the next move in interest rates will likely be up. 

Interest rate speculation has been a major driver of Sterling strength of late, and the comments on Friday caused the Pound to recover. It should be noted though that 2 of the main decision makers within the BoE seem to be at odds with regards to which way the rate will go, which is only going to create more uncertainty. The fact remains that if the numbers continue to show inflation so low, a cut is more likely and this could weaken the Pound. 

General Election and Exchange Rates


For the next month, the main news will be the UK election. The Pound is likely to weaken against other currencies over the next month due to the election uncertainty, and as I outlined in a recent post, this is because the result is so uncertain. This is likely to push the Pound lower in the coming weeks. I personally don't think we'll see things back at €1.40 any time soon.

If you need to buy or sell Euros and would like to discuss your currency requirement with me and obtain a quotation, click here to send a free no obligation enquiry. On average the rates I provide are 3% better than banks and other financial institutions so you could save a significant amount of money. 

Click here to make a free enquiry 

What could affect exchange rates this week? 


Below I’ve listed the scheduled releases for the coming week that I think may affect exchange rates. Remember that other things such as election uncertainty could also change rates at any time without warning. To discuss your currency requirement in more detail, or have a chat about which direction the exchange rate may go, click here to send a free enquiry today. 

Tuesday 31st March 2015 – Today we have the latest UK GDP forges, which are expected to show monthly and annual growth at 0.5% and 2.7% respectively. If the numbers are worse than this then expect the Pound to fall against other currencies. GBP/EUR could also be affected today by the EU inflation and Unemployment numbers. For those watching GBP/USD then US Consumer confidence figures at 3pm is something to watch out for. 

Wednesday 1st April – Today the main events for the currency markets will be inflation numbers from Europe and the UK. This is important as it indicates future interest rate movements, and so often affects exchange rates. Construction and Manufacturing numbers from the USA could affect GBP/USD 

Thursday 2nd April – Nothing major from the UK today, but there is an ECB meeting that looks at the economy and financial markets. It’s basically an assessment for the EU economy so this could affect Pound/Euro rates. Most other data is from the USA – Unemployment Jobless figures and Factory orders. 

Friday 3rd April – Very quiet today as most markets are closed for Good Friday. The USA remains open however and we have some important releases; Unemployment and Non-Farm Payrolls. These numbers often move GBP/USD rates as the figures are often quite different to what’s expected. 

Do you need to convert currency at the best exchange rates? 


If you have a currency transaction to perform, would like a quote, or to simply discuss the market or anything I’ve covered above, contact me for a free no obligation consultation by clicking below. 

Click here to send a free enquiry today.

Senin, 23 Maret 2015

Pound/Euro falls into €1.36's - will it go back up?

Monday 23rd March 2015 
The last week was an interesting one for the Pound, with exchange rates falling against other currencies. Against the Euro, the recent highs of €1.40+ now seem a distant memory, with the pair falling throughout the week, and the decline has continued this morning with rates dropping into the €1.36’s: 




Why has the Pound fallen against the Euro, and will it go back up? 


There were two main reasons for last weeks continued drop in GBP/EUR rates. The first issue was a UK unemployment release. In the press it was hailed as good news, and indeed unemployment has fallen again. However what was important was that average earnings were actually quite a bit below forecast. This caused investors to sell the Pound and it duly weakened against other currencies. 

The other issue is the Bank of England’s chief economist warning that interest rates might have to be cut to combat low inflation. This is a far cry from this time last year, when the Pound was gaining due to speculation interest rates were going to rise. Things can change quickly in the currency markets, and further talk of cutting rates could bring the Pound lower. 

Bank of England warn against Strong Pound


In fact the strong Pound was discussed in the Bank of England's recent MPC meeting. This should be a worry for anyone hoping the exchange rate may recover back to €1.40. If the BoE are worried about a strong pound, they may take steps to weaken it to avoid it continuing to affect the low inflation numbers.There is also the UK election that’s likely to weigh heavily on the Pound in the coming weeks.

All in all I think those holding out for a return to €1.40 should think whether that's actually likely to happen within their time-frame. In the short to medium term securing something while the rate is still around 10 cents higher than back in January is probably a prudent move. Those selling Euros should use a ‘Stop Loss’ order to allow for further gains in their favour without being exposed to a downturn in the rate. 


If you need to buy or sell Euros and would like to discuss your currency requirement with me and obtain a quotation, click here to send a free no obligation enquiry. On average the rates I provide are 3% better than banks and other financial institutions so you could save a significant amount of money.


What could affect exchange rates this week? 


Below I’ve listed the scheduled releases for the coming week that I think may affect exchange rates. Remember that other things such as election uncertainty could also change rates at any time without warning. To discuss your currency requirement in more detail, or have a chat about which direction the exchange rate may go, click here to send a free enquiry today. 

Monday 23rd March 2015 – The only data of note today is a speech by European Central Bank (ECB) president Mario Draghi at 2pm this afternoon. Given they have just started their Quantitative Easing programme, markets will be watching his words closely. Anything deemed as positive could strengthen the Euro and pull GBP/EUR rates lower, and vice versa. We also have EU consumer confidence figures at 3pm this afternoon. 

Tuesday 24th March 2015 – Today is a busy one for UK data, with a rate of inflation numbers being released at 09:30am. I think there is a good chance the numbers will be quite low, which could weaken the Pound against other currencies. We also have Manufacturing numbers from Euro, and Inflation figures from the United States today. 

Wednesday 25th March 2015 – The only UK data today that might affect the Pound is Mortgage Approval numbers at 11am. The USA releases mortgage numbers too today, so GBP/USD could be affected. 

Thursday 26th March 2015 – UK Retail Sales are released at 09:30am, and are a good barometer of overall economic activity and so often affect the Pound. Elsewhere, the USA released Jobless numbers, Germany has a consumer confidence survey, and the Bank of Canada’s governor gives a speech.

Friday 27th March 2015 – Today’s UK release is consumer confidence. Other data today is from the USA – a FED member gives a speech, the latest GDP numbers are released, inflation numbers are released and a consumer sentiment survey is out at 3pm, so lots that could affect Pound/Dollar rates. 

Do you need to convert currency at the best exchange rates? 


If you have a currency transaction to perform, would like a quote, or to simply discuss the market or anything I’ve covered above, contact me for a free no obligation consultation by clicking below. 

Rabu, 19 November 2014

Pound recovers after Bank of England Minutes

Wednesday 19th November 2014 

Sterling/Euro recovers to €1.25 


Just a quick update this morning, as we have finally seen the Pound recover slightly after the last week in which we saw rates drop from €1.28 to €1.24. 

Earlier this morning the Bank of England released the minutes to its recent meeting where they decided to leave rates on hold. Of the 9 member committee, 7 voted to hold rates, with 2 voting to raise them, which has been the case for the last few months. You can read the full minutes here on the BoE website.



Why did this cause the Pound to rise? 


Given inflation numbers have been lower recently, some analysts including me thought that the 2 members that had been voting for a hike would not do so. The market had also been expecting this and it starting getting priced into rates in advance, and before the release of the minutes GBP/EUR rates were as low as €1.2440. As you can see from the chart above, as soon as the result was out Sterling exchange rates jumped to €1.25 where it now stands. 

This is a key technical level so I expect rates to remain at around €1.25 in the short term. 

Sterling/Dollar 


Focus will now be on Pound/Dollar rates. Currently this sits at around $1.57, but there is some key data out in the next few days that could change this. This evening at 7pm we have the US Federal Reserve minutes, and if there are hints at an interest hike in the states we could see the exchange rate drop further. Tomorrow we have a host of inflation data and jobless claims from the states and quite simply, good economic news could strengthen the US Dollar and cause the exchange rate to drop. 

Do you have an upcoming currency transaction? 


If you need to convert currency then get in touch to find out more about the exchange rates I can offer. I regret we do not deal with cash or holiday money, only bank to bank transfers for amounts £5k+. You may have bought or sold a property abroad, or perhaps your business buys and sells goods from the Eurozone. Whatever your currency needs, you could save thousands by achieving a better exchange rate. 

Click here to find out more about the rates and currency services I can offer you.

Rabu, 13 Agustus 2014

Pound falls as interest rates set to remain low for rest of the year

Wednesday 13th August 2014 
As you can see from today's Pound/Euro graph below, Sterling has plummeted today by around 1% against other currencies on comments made by the Bank of England governor Mark Carney, effectively signalling that interest rates are to remain low for the rest of this year. In my post yesterday I warned that if he was dovish about the UK economy then exchange rates could fall, and this is exactly what we have seen happen today. Let’s take a closer look at what he said and why the Pound has fallen against the Euro. 


What did Mark Carney say in his speech? 

 
The Bank of England has halved its forecast for average wage growth, and the Bank's latest quarterly economic forecast also indicated that it believed the level of spare capacity in the UK economy has narrowed to around 1% of GDP. 

Mr Carney said there were still "a lot of uncertainties to contend with" given record participation in the jobs market, "remarkably weak" wage rises and a rising number of threats to the global economy.   

He said that whenever interest rates did increase, they would still do so gradually. Chris Williamson, chief economist at economic data firm Markit said it is was likely that "calls to raise interest rates would start to gather strength in coming months," but that an interest rate rise still looked some way off.

Read a full outline of his comments here.

What does this mean? 


Effectively he is saying that as wages aren’t growing fast enough, there isn’t enough spare capacity in the economy to allow a raising of interest rates. This means that it is likely interest rates won’t be going up anytime soon, and when they do they will only rise very gradually.

Why has this caused the Pound to fall? 


Sterling has been strong recently on speculation interest rates will be going up, as this drives investment into the currency due to the potential higher return on offer. Today’s comments indicate that rates will remain at their record low of 0.5% for some time to come. This means that investors have sold the Pound for currencies that offer a higher return, and the sell-off has caused the Pound to weaken and exchange rates to move down. 

What does this mean for your currency requirement? 


The currency markets are very volatile, and when converting large sums even a small movement in the rate can end up costing you thousands. The service I provide is twofold. Firstly you can have a free no obligation chat with me about the exchange rate, and I can explain what is moving the rate and discuss which way it could move in the future. In this way you can make an informed choice on when to fix your exchange rate. 

When the time comes to fix a rate, I can provide commercial exchange rates that are significantly better than banks offer, by as much as 5%. This means that I can save you thousands of Pounds when converting one currency to another. 

If you need to convert funds and would like to discuss what is happening with rates, and obtain a quote to compare with your bank to see how much you can save, click below to send me a free no obligation enquiry today. It is free to make an enquiry and does not obligate you in any way. 

Click here to make an enquiry today and see how much you could save.