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GBP Softens, Erasing Week's Stronger Start

FOREX
  • Having outperformed during the first half of the week, GBP slipped to the bottom of the G10 pile early Friday, with decent volumes going through on the fall from ~1.3760 to ~1.3735 and from ~1.3740 to the day's lows of 1.3717.
  • There was no key headline driver for the move, but does coincide with EUR/GBP convincingly taking out 0.87 on the way higher to touch the best levels since late February.
  • Elsewhere, USD underwent a spell of weakness, with the turnaround being felt most materially in EUR/USD. The pair narrowed in on yesterday's highs at 1.1993 to play catch-up with the earlier strength in EURGBP.
  • Next resistance in EURUSD crosses at 1.2037, the 61.8% retracement of the Feb 25 - Mar 31 sell-off and a break through here would signal scope for an extension of recent gains. There was a decent uptick in EUR futures volumes on the move, with over 3,500 contracts changing hands inside 5 minutes (cash equivalent approx. E450mln).
  • Focus turns to US Housing Starts/Building Permits data as well as prelim Uni. of Michigan Sentiment data for April. Fed's Kaplan has the final word ahead of the FOMC media blackout period, which begins this weekend ahead of the Apr 28 rate decision.

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