financetom
British Pound
financetom
/
Forex
/
British Pound
/
UK's Move to Oil Brexit Process Boosts Pound to Euro Exchange Rate, But Juncker Still Not Happy with Offer
News World Market Environment Technology Personal Finance Politics Retail Business Economy Cryptocurrency Forex Stocks Market Commodities
UK's Move to Oil Brexit Process Boosts Pound to Euro Exchange Rate, But Juncker Still Not Happy with Offer
Mar 22, 2024 2:19 AM

Pound Sterling edged up against the Euro to hit a high of 1.1408 ahead of the weekend amidst the latest developments on the Brexit front.

Signs that the UK is serious about pressing ahead with the EU - and is willing to concede ground - has caught the attention of wary traders.

But, to put the move in GBP/EUR into context, it is hardly eye-opening in scope as Sterling ultimately still languishes near historical lows against its major currency competitors with markets waiting for the fog posed by Brexit to clear.

Some of that fog is now starting to evaporate though as the early stages of Brexit negotiations have gone surprisingly smoothly.

If this can continue, then the British Pound will finally have the justification to recover as certainty regarding the future relationship with Europe is made clear.

At the time of writing GBP/EUR is seen at 1.1393, up 0.22% on the day's open.

Thus far all the signs have suggested the UK is willing to move fast and cede ground to the EU in order to get the intial stages of talks concluded in order to progress with the details of future trading relationships.

In a major conceession, the UK agreed to the EU's timetable that sought to agree on major sticking points such as the divorce bill, the Irish border and status of EU citizens living in the UK ahead of discussions on a trade deal.

This has since been followed by May confirming the UK would allow EU citizens to settle in the UK in order to avoid any uncertainty regarding their status.

"As for the Pound, Theresa May’s unofficial Brexit discussions about the rights of EU and British nationals at dinner with Merkel and co. yesterday evening, alongside a final hawkish hurrah from departing Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee member Kristen Forbes, gave the currency a boost this Friday," says Connor Campbell at Spreadex in London.

“Hear, hear!” says David Johnson, founding director at currency specialists, Halo Financial. “It’s reassuring to see that first on the agenda for agreement includes the rights of expats – something that has been playing on our clients’ minds for well over a year. Whether that’s UK citizens retaining rights while living in the EU, or employers wishing to protect the rights of EU citizens in the workforce, this is a considerable cause for concern for many.”

If negotiations can continue in an orderly manner then the prospect of the UK avoiding the so-called cliff-edge scenario where we are ejected from the EU is likely to be avoided.

UK Chancellor, Philip Hammond, has been vocal on wanting a prompt agreement in principle to create a transitional period for UK businesses.

However the Government has also warned it will not accept a bad deal that in effect sanction the UK from leaving Europe.

Juncker, Labour not Happy

But, enthusiasm towards Sterling has been curbed by subsequent comments from the President of the EU Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker.

Never a fan of Britain, Juncker said that May's concessions represent a first-step and more details will be needed.

May's overture was "a first step but not sufficient," said Juncker.

Juncker has long been antagonistic to Britain, recall David Cameron's opposition to Juncker being elevated to EC President in 2014.

This is a man who would be quite happy to see the maximum possible damage inflicted on the UK as a result of the Brexit vote.

And it's not just Juncker who wants to see Britain fail in this regard.

The Labour Party's shadow Brexit Secretary, Keir Starmer, said May's assertion that "we won't be seeing families split apart," was "falling far short" of the unilateral guarantee his party has on offer.

We struggle to see how what May has offered is anything but a unilateral guarantee.

But it does serve to remind us that Labour will oppose each and every move made by May in their quest to somehow get their man into number 10.

Whether or not this is a possibility will be made clear next week when Parliament passes the Government's legistlative agenda. If the DUP fail to vote with the Conservatives expect chaos to ensue.

Political uncertainty therefore remains as thick as ever, and the Pound will likely cling to the safety of recent levels against the Euro as a result.

Comments
Welcome to financetom comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Related Articles >
The Pound "Shouldn't be Haunted by the Ghosts of 2022" Says Deutsche Bank
The Pound "Shouldn't be Haunted by the Ghosts of 2022" Says Deutsche Bank
Mar 22, 2024
Above: Image © Pound Sterling Live, original picture by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing St. On the eve of the UK budget, a Deutsche Bank analyst tackles the question of whether GBP investors ought to fear the return of the bond vigilantes and a repeat of the 2022 episode...
British Pound Sterling Heads Sideways as Equity Markets Rally
British Pound Sterling Heads Sideways as Equity Markets Rally
Mar 22, 2024
By Gary HowesToday's Exchange Rates Below are the spot exchange rates as of the last update: Pound to euro exchange rate: Unchanged on a day-to-day basis at 1.2040.Pound to US dollar exchange rate: 0.01 pct down at 1.6390.Pound to Australian dollar rate: 0.36 pct higher at 1.8364.Pound to New Zealand...
British Pound (GBP) LIVE: Sterling in Steady Recovery After Services PMI Delivers a Blow
British Pound (GBP) LIVE: Sterling in Steady Recovery After Services PMI Delivers a Blow
Mar 22, 2024
Last Updated: 07 April 2014 Updated: The British Pound (GBP) is stable as we move into the second week of April. Selling on global equity markets has seen some relief being enjoyed against the commodity dollars. Meanwhile, we continue to see consolidation vs the Euro and US dollar. This period...
British Pound (GBP) LIVE: Sterling Set for Fresh Bounce vs USD, Bank of England Risk Ahead
British Pound (GBP) LIVE: Sterling Set for Fresh Bounce vs USD, Bank of England Risk Ahead
Mar 22, 2024
Last Updated: 02 April 2014 Updated: Our Live coverage shows the UK pound to be in a period of consolidation at the start of April 2014. With the March PMI series missing expectations the GBP has found little by way of impetus. However, all eyes are on the release of...
Copyright 2023-2025 - www.financetom.com All Rights Reserved