- It is expected that the inflation rate for April will have significantly dropped to 8.2%. Are markets overly optimist with this forecast?
- When examining the 4-hour chart, the pair tested an important 50-bar moving average (MA) and attracted buyers on Friday
- This MA will continue to be a significant level leading up to the inflation rate data drop
Tomorrow, the latest inflation rate for the UK will be released, which will be significant for traders dealing with GBP/USD due to the perhaps unrealistic forecast for a 2-percentage point drop.
It is expected that the inflation rate for April will have significantly dropped to 8.2%. Are markets overly optimist with this forecast? In March, the consumer price inflation rate in the United Kingdom eased to 10.1% on a year-on-year basis, slightly lower than the 10.4% recorded in February but higher than the market’s expectation of 9.8%.
The British pound has remained strong, with a value around $1.2435, staying close to its 12-month high of $1.2679 reached on May 10th. Currently, money markets predict an 80% chance of the Bank of England raising interest rates by 25 basis points to 4.75% in June, and a 79% chance of a 5% Bank Rate by September. Recently, the BoE increased rates to 4.5%, the highest level since 2008.
On the other hand, some expect the US Federal Reserve to pause its current tightening cycle as policymakers carefully consider concerns about inflation’s impact on economic growth. There have been positive developments regarding discussions about the US debt ceiling, according to US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who mentioned the possibility of a deal being reached tonight or tomorrow.
When examining the 4-hour chart, the pair tested an important 50-bar moving average (MA) and attracted buyers on Friday. This MA will continue to be a significant level leading up to the inflation rate data drop. If the GBP/USD pair maintains its upward bias, it will need to contend with the Relative Strength Index (RSI) indicator, which recently dipped below the 50-midline. Should the 50-day MA be breached, the expected trading range for today could be between support at 1.2350 and resistance at 1.2400.