Equities News (March 28)
“The petrodollar was born” in 1975. When OPEC members exclusively adopted the dollar for pricing, it “had the immediate effect of strengthening the U.S. dollar,” with the greenback becoming “the world’s reserve currency, a status formerly enjoyed by the British pound, French franc and Dutch guilder.” Today, however, “we may be witnessing the end of the petrodollar as more and more countries, including China and Russia, are agreeing to make settlements in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. This could have wide-ranging implications on not just a macro scale but also investment portfolios.”
Tags: 1975, China, Currencies, Franc, Greenback, Guilder, Implications, Macro scale, OPEC, Petrodollar, Pound, Reserve currency, Russia, Settlements, Strengthening, U.S.
Bloomberg (November 25)
“Since the Brexit vote in 2016, the UK government is yet to deliver major legislative change with significant benefits for businesses. Instead, companies have had to grapple with higher paperwork costs on trade, a tighter labor market spurred by a reduction in EU migration and a weaker pound increasing import costs. Brexit has also had a political cost of aggravating tensions in Northern Ireland and hurting diplomatic relations with the EU.”
Tags: Benefits, Brexit, Businesses, Costs, EU, Government, Import, Labor market, Migration, Northern Ireland, Paperwork, Pound, Trade, UK, Weaker
The Guardian (September 27)
“Turmoil in financial markets which saw the pound fall to a record low against the dollar dominates today’s front pages. The currency tumbled as investors lost confidence in the UK’s public finances after last Friday’s mini-budget.”
Tags: Confidence, Currency, Dollar, Dominates, Financial markets, Investors, Pound, Public finances, Record low, Tumbled, Turmoil, UK
The Guardian (July 9)
“The pound has come under fresh selling pressure amid rising fears over the strength of the British economy as no-deal Brexit looms,” tumbling to its lowest sustained level in over two years. “The latest sell-off comes at a time of a stalling UK economy, as the boost from stockpiling before the original Brexit deadline begins to fade” and fears grow that “the economy probably contracted in the three months to June, raising fears of a technical recession.”
Tags: Brexit, Economy, Fears, No-deal, Pound, Pressure, Recession, Sell-off, Stalling, Stockpiling, UK
Pound Sterling Live (February 15)
“The British Pound is under pressure ahead of the weekend, holding the title of the worst-performing major G10 currency over the course of the past five trading days. Losses come as the government suffered a symbolic defeat…with pro-Brexit MPs voting against a motion tabled by the government.”
Tags: Brexit, Currency, Defeat, G10, Government, Losses, Pound, Trading, UK, Worst-performing
Reuters (January 16)
“Nobody expected May’s Brexit deal to secure a majority. Nevertheless, the scale of the defeat—the worst for a British government in modern history—was startling…. It’s very unlikely the deal can be rescued.” In fact, investors seem to be signaling that “reversing the Brexit decision” is now more likely than “a chaotic exit…. The pound jumped 1.4 percent against the U.S. dollar immediately after the result was announced on Tuesday.”
Reuters (November 1)
Expect some Brexit volatility for the pound. “With less than five months until the marriage is due to end, the two sides have yet to finalise a divorce settlement and if none is made by the end of March,” the current consensus is that “sterling will fall to $1.20.” The same poll of economists predicted “the pound would bounce to $1.35 if a deal is made.”
Reuters (August 9)
“The last thing the Bank of England wants right now, one suspects, is a precipitous fall in the value of the pound. Yet with the worst Brexit fears intensifying, that’s exactly what it may have to brace for.”
The Times (January 11)
Driven by the cheap pound, UK factory growth hit a seven-year high. “Factories are growing at the fastest pace in almost seven years after a solid three months to November that beat all forecasts and put Britain on track to start 2018 on a firm footing.” Still, the manufacturing sector “accounts for only a tenth of output in Britain, with four fifths generated by services.”
The Economist (November 5)
“It is rare for a court judgment to cause turmoil in the foreign-currency markets. Yet the pound soared on the morning of November 3rd after the High Court in London ruled that only Parliament has the authority to trigger Article 50 of the European Union treaty, the legal route for Britain to leave the EU.” The decision ignited market hopes “that Parliament might choose to block Brexit altogether or, perhaps more plausibly, that it will attach conditions,” increasing the likelihood of a “soft” Brexit.
Tags: Article 50, Brexit, Court, EU, Foreign currency, Judgment, Markets, Parliament, Pound