- GBP/JPY retraces to near 195.65 as the Japanese Yen (JPY) gains against a majority of its peers.
- According to the revised estimates, the Japanese economy remained flat in the first quarter of the year.
- Investors await the UK employment data for fresh cues on the BoE’s monetary policy outlook.
The GBP/JPY pair retraces to near 195.65 during European trading hours on Monday from the intraday high of 196.00. The pair faces slight selling pressure as the Japanese Yen (JPY) gains after the revised Q1 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data showed that the economy remained flat.
Japanese Yen PRICE Today
The table below shows the percentage change of Japanese Yen (JPY) against listed major currencies today. Japanese Yen was the strongest against the US Dollar.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | -0.22% | -0.27% | -0.50% | -0.09% | -0.31% | -0.49% | -0.22% | |
| EUR | 0.22% | -0.07% | -0.30% | 0.11% | -0.07% | -0.28% | -0.02% | |
| GBP | 0.27% | 0.07% | -0.14% | 0.18% | 0.00% | -0.22% | 0.05% | |
| JPY | 0.50% | 0.30% | 0.14% | 0.42% | 0.14% | -0.04% | 0.17% | |
| CAD | 0.09% | -0.11% | -0.18% | -0.42% | -0.24% | -0.40% | -0.13% | |
| AUD | 0.31% | 0.07% | -0.00% | -0.14% | 0.24% | -0.21% | 0.06% | |
| NZD | 0.49% | 0.28% | 0.22% | 0.04% | 0.40% | 0.21% | 0.27% | |
| CHF | 0.22% | 0.02% | -0.05% | -0.17% | 0.13% | -0.06% | -0.27% |
The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the Japanese Yen from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the US Dollar, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent JPY (base)/USD (quote).
According to the preliminary estimates, the Japanese economy shrank steadily by 0.2%. On an annualized basis, the economy declined at a slower pace of 0.2%, compared to a 0.7% contraction.
Japanese Cabinet Office reported that the GDP growth in the January-March period revised higher on the back of an upward revision in the private consumption data, which accounts for over half of the economy. Households’ consumption rose by 0.1%, against a flat performance seen in the flash estimate.
Meanwhile, Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has warned that rising interest rates by the Bank of Japan (BoJ) could weigh on government’s spending plans, stating that higher borrowing rates could increase cost of funds. Tokyo’s concerns over rising debt cost could force traders to pare bets supporting the BoJ to raise interest rates again this year.
In the United Kingdom (UK) region, investors await the employment data for three months ending April, which will be released on Tuesday. The job market report is expected to show that the ILO Unemployment Rate accelerated to 4.6% from the prior reading of 4.5%. Average Earnings, both Including and Excluding bonuses, grew by 5.5% on year.
Investors will pay close attention to the UK labor market data as it will influence market expectations for the Bank of England’s (BoE) monetary policy outlook. The BoE is almost certain to leave interest rates steady at 4.25% in the policy meeting on June 19.
Pound Sterling FAQs
The Pound Sterling (GBP) is the oldest currency in the world (886 AD) and the official currency of the United Kingdom. It is the fourth most traded unit for foreign exchange (FX) in the world, accounting for 12% of all transactions, averaging $630 billion a day, according to 2022 data.
Its key trading pairs are GBP/USD, also known as ‘Cable’, which accounts for 11% of FX, GBP/JPY, or the ‘Dragon’ as it is known by traders (3%), and EUR/GBP (2%). The Pound Sterling is issued by the Bank of England (BoE).
The single most important factor influencing the value of the Pound Sterling is monetary policy decided by the Bank of England. The BoE bases its decisions on whether it has achieved its primary goal of “price stability” – a steady inflation rate of around 2%. Its primary tool for achieving this is the adjustment of interest rates.
When inflation is too high, the BoE will try to rein it in by raising interest rates, making it more expensive for people and businesses to access credit. This is generally positive for GBP, as higher interest rates make the UK a more attractive place for global investors to park their money.
When inflation falls too low it is a sign economic growth is slowing. In this scenario, the BoE will consider lowering interest rates to cheapen credit so businesses will borrow more to invest in growth-generating projects.
Data releases gauge the health of the economy and can impact the value of the Pound Sterling. Indicators such as GDP, Manufacturing and Services PMIs, and employment can all influence the direction of the GBP.
A strong economy is good for Sterling. Not only does it attract more foreign investment but it may encourage the BoE to put up interest rates, which will directly strengthen GBP. Otherwise, if economic data is weak, the Pound Sterling is likely to fall.
Another significant data release for the Pound Sterling is the Trade Balance. This indicator measures the difference between what a country earns from its exports and what it spends on imports over a given period.
If a country produces highly sought-after exports, its currency will benefit purely from the extra demand created from foreign buyers seeking to purchase these goods. Therefore, a positive net Trade Balance strengthens a currency and vice versa for a negative balance.