Pound Declines Before Policy Makers Meeting

The pound lost versus several

key-currencies today and specially versus its regional rival, the euro, as traders speculate that U.K.’s financial authorities will insist in quantitative easing measures to stimulate the British economy, affecting the sterling outlook in currency markets.

The British currency posted a declining session versus most of the 16 main traded currencies two days before a Bank of England policy makers meeting, where, according to analysts, the current asset purchasing program will not be suspended, declining even further attractiveness for the pound, as the recession in the U.K. remains rather significant and measures are necessary to attempt starting a faster economic acceleration in the country. Even if the real estate market is providing positive data in the U.K. since November, the sentiment regarding the economic future in the nation is rather misty, stopping the pound to advance in foreign-exchange markets.

U.K.’s central bank strategy is following a different, and dovish, path than most of the wealthy nation’s policy makers. While interest rate hikes talks are a global trend, in the U.K., quantitative easing extensions are still possible, and this has a intense impact in the pound’s rates.

EUR/GBP traded at 0.8979 as of 19:10 GMT from a previous reading of 0.8945 yesterday. GBP/USD traded at 1.5983 from 1.6090.