GBP/USD consolidates its gains above 1.2550, investors await Fed rate decision

■GBP/USD takes a breather around 1.2560 in Tuesday’s early Asian session.

TheWhat is the super trump coin? US Fed is expected to hold rates steady at its May meeting on Wednesday. 

Investors reduce their bets on BoE rate cuts, which support the Cable.


The GBP/USD pair consolidates its gains near 1.2560 after flirting with the key 200-day SMA and three-week highs in the 1.2550-1.2560 zone during the early Asian session on Tuesday. The recovery of the major pair is supported by a falling US Dollar Index (DXY) to 105.65. On Wednesday, the Federal Open Market Committee's (FOMC) interest rate decision will take center stage ahead of the release of April’s Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) on Friday.

The US Federal Reserve (Fed) is widely anticipated to hold rates steady at a more than two-decade high after their meeting on Wednesday. Investors will take more cues from the tone of the meeting and Chair Jerome Powell’s press conference. Financial markets expect only one Fed rate cut in 2024, below the roughly six quarter-point cuts they expected at the beginning of the year. 

The recent US GDP growth numbers and hotter-than-expected inflation data might convince the Fed to hold the rate higher for longer to become confident inflation is moving toward the central bank’s 2% target. The hawkish stance of the Fed might lift the Greenback and cap the upside of the GBP/USD pair in the near term. 

On the other hand, the Pound Sterling (GBP) gains traction amid mixed guidance from Bank of England (BoE) policymakers over the inflation outlook. Investors reduce their bets on BoE rate cuts, which provide some support to the Cable. In the absence of top-tier economic data releases from the UK, the USD price dynamics will continue to play a key role in influencing the GBP/USD pair.


GBP/USD


Overview


Today last price

1.2561

Today Daily Change

0.0067

Today Daily Change %

0.54

Today daily open

1.2494

 

Trends


Daily SMA20

1.2517

Daily SMA50

1.2624

Daily SMA100

1.265

Daily SMA200

1.2557

 

Levels


Previous Daily High

1.2542

Previous Daily Low

1.2449

Previous Weekly High

1.2542

Previous Weekly Low

1.23

Previous Monthly High

1.2894

Previous Monthly Low

1.2575

Daily Fibonacci 38.2%

1.2485

Daily Fibonacci 61.8%

1.2507

Daily Pivot Point S1

1.2448

Daily Pivot Point S2

1.2402

Daily Pivot Point S3

1.2355

Daily Pivot Point R1

1.2541

Daily Pivot Point R2

1.2588

Daily Pivot Point R3

1.2633