1. Virus Situation.
Regarding the UK's coronavirus outlook, this remains encouraging with the UK's vaccine program having administered at least one dose to over half of the UK population. Given the current success of its vaccine program, the UK is now in the early stages of lifting lockdown restrictions. While the UK's coronavirus outlook is improving, we expect GBP to remain well supported. The biggest risk to this view is the current challenges regarding the AstraZeneca vaccine, which the UK is very reliant upon to reach their vaccination targets.
2. The Monetary Policy outlook for the BOE.
From the start of the year the BOE had a change of heart regarding negative interest rates when on the 12th of Jan Governor Bailey pushed back against negative rates, and that view was confirmed in the BOE’s meeting on the 4th of February where they firmly pushed back against negative rates. Even though the BOE is nowhere close to hawkish, their less dovish demeanour regarding the overall economic outlook (and unphased approach to rising yields) have seen markets shifting their monetary policy expectations from expecting the next move to be a 10 bsp cut to now expecting the next move to be a hike of 10 bsp.
3. The country’s economic developments.
Economic data has been better-than-expected despite renewed lockdown measures that was announced at the end of last year. The hopes of a possible faster economic reopening and subsequent recovery has seen both the BOE and IMF upgrade growth projections for the UK economy which has widened the growth differentials between other majors by quite a bit and is something that should continue to be a supportive factor for GBP.
Regarding the UK's coronavirus outlook, this remains encouraging with the UK's vaccine program having administered at least one dose to over half of the UK population. Given the current success of its vaccine program, the UK is now in the early stages of lifting lockdown restrictions. While the UK's coronavirus outlook is improving, we expect GBP to remain well supported. The biggest risk to this view is the current challenges regarding the AstraZeneca vaccine, which the UK is very reliant upon to reach their vaccination targets.
2. The Monetary Policy outlook for the BOE.
From the start of the year the BOE had a change of heart regarding negative interest rates when on the 12th of Jan Governor Bailey pushed back against negative rates, and that view was confirmed in the BOE’s meeting on the 4th of February where they firmly pushed back against negative rates. Even though the BOE is nowhere close to hawkish, their less dovish demeanour regarding the overall economic outlook (and unphased approach to rising yields) have seen markets shifting their monetary policy expectations from expecting the next move to be a 10 bsp cut to now expecting the next move to be a hike of 10 bsp.
3. The country’s economic developments.
Economic data has been better-than-expected despite renewed lockdown measures that was announced at the end of last year. The hopes of a possible faster economic reopening and subsequent recovery has seen both the BOE and IMF upgrade growth projections for the UK economy which has widened the growth differentials between other majors by quite a bit and is something that should continue to be a supportive factor for GBP.