Pound rises on employment data, but will it go higher?

Wednesday 16th September 2015
Today we saw the Pound/Euro rate rise on positive jobs data from the UK. Average earnings and the claimant count were both much better than expected, and you can see from the chart below that this strengthened the Pound, pushing the GBP/EUR rate from €1.36 to €1.3750 before dropping back away. We also had worse than expected inflation numbers from the EU, which helped push the rate higher as the Euro weakened and became a little cheaper to buy. 



Will the Pound continue to go up against the Euro? 

This is the question I’m asked daily by my clients looking for the best exchange rates to buy Euros. It is of course impossible to predict what will happen, but I don’t think the rate will get higher in the short to medium term. Indeed the current strength of the Pound is a problem for the Bank of England as it makes our exports more expensive, so if the rate does continue to climb, then I would expect the BoE to make noises about an interest rate being a long way off, in order to weaken the Pound to stop it hindering the economic recovery. 

Yes, the rate has fallen from the 8 year highs of €1.40+ we were enjoying last month. Those that need to buy Euros however should consider that the rate is still significantly better than when it was at €1.25 at the start of this year, so in the grand scheme of things it’s still a good time to buy Euros. 

It’s important to remember the only reason rates were so high before was 1) due to weakness in the Euro due to the Greek debt crisis that has now been resolved and 2) speculation interest rates were going to rise in the UK, which is no longer the expectation. For these 2 reasons I don’t think the rate will get back to €1.40 until into 2016, so if you need to buy Euros then consider fixing a rate sooner rather than later. (Click here to get a quote on your exchange and see how much you could save using my currency exchange services). 

All eyes on the FED 

Tomorrow’s decision by the Federal Reserve on US interest rates is the most anticipated for a very long time. The consensus is still that rates will be left on hold however there is a small chance they will increase rates. If they do, expect GBP/USD rates to drop sharply. 

Do you need to convert currency? 

I don’t just provide commentary on the currency markets, I am also the Foreign Exchange Manager at one of the UK’s leading currency exchange companies. I can help you achieve exchange rates much better than bank and existing brokers may offer you. If you need to buy or sell any international currency then get in touch with me today for a free quotation on what I can offer you. 

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