GBP price, news and analysis:
- Crude oil prices are continuing to tumble but “risk-on” assets, including GBP, are stabilizing, improving the outlook for GBP/USD.
- UK inflation data showed falls in March but the impact of economic statistics continues to be of little importance as the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, particularly on oil, continue to dominate trader sentiment.
GBP/USD stabilizes, outlook more positive
Crude oil prices are continuing to slump but overall market sentiment looks to be stabilizing, with less demand for safe havens such as the US Dollar and more for “risk-on” assets including GBP. That has led to some near-term stability for GBP/USD and improved the outlook for the pair.
Hopes are also beginning to rise that worldwide lockdowns prompted by the coronavirus pandemic could be eased over the next few weeks – benefiting the major stock market indexes including the FTSE 100 of leading London-listed stocks as well as Sterling.
GBP/USD Price Chart, Two-Hour Timeframe (April 14 – 22, 2020)
Chart by IG (You can click on it for a larger image)
| Change in | Longs | Shorts | OI |
| Daily | -3% | 8% | 0% |
| Weekly | 35% | -30% | 4% |
UK inflation rate falls
Meanwhile, UK inflation data for March showed a fall in consumer prices year/year to 1.5% from 1.7% while the core rate dipped to 1.6% from 1.7%. However, in markets dominated by the impact of Covid-19, the numbers remain largely irrelevant to traders.
According to the Office for National Statistics, sales were likely to have been impacted by the coronavirus outbreak and retailers resorted to discounting more items on sale, reversing the usual pattern in March as new lines hit the shops.Although prices were collected on March 17 – a few days before a full-scale lockdown began – the ONS said consumer behaviour might have changed in expectation of the restrictions.
What is Crude Oil? A Trader's Guide to Oil
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--- Written by Martin Essex, Analyst and Editor
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