The British pound continued to rally against is currency counterpart this week following the improved outlook held by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, and long-term expectations for higher interest rates in the U.K. may continue to drive the GBP/CHF higher over the near-term.

urrency Pair: GBP/CHF

Chart: 60 Min Charts

Short-Term Bias: Flat

Analysis

آ The British pound continued to rally against is currency counterpart this week following the improved outlook held by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, and long-term expectations for higher interest rates in the U.K. may continue to drive the GBP/CHF higher over the near-term. After reaching a high of 1.8976 in November, the pound-franc slipped to a low of 1.5124 on 12/29 following the rise in risk aversion, and the turnaround in market sentiment led the pair to push back above 1.7490-1.7500- (61.8% Fib) this week. However, the lack of momentum to break above 1.7715, the 2009 high, paired with the bearish divergence in the relative strength index suggests that the GBP/CHF is putting in a top, and we may see the pair fall back below the 61.8% Fib to fill-in the gap from the 120 moving average. Over the next few hours of trading, we may see the pair give back and work its way down to 1.7464, the 120 SMA, and a break below the moving average could lead the pair to test 1.7040-50 (50.0% Fib) for support. Be sure to check out other Technical Reports from DailyFX for additional information on the major currency pairs.

from yahoo finance

Many people have criticized the U.K. government’s response to the financial crisis and recession but U.K. officials may be having the last laugh. The latest string of economic data has been surprisingly strong. There are signs of stabilization in both the housing and labor markets. Last week, the Bank of England increased the size of their Quantitative Easing program to ensure that the recent improvements will continue.

According to the RICS House price balance, new buyer inquiries were the strongest in 10 years. Housing market turnover was still low, but that may soon improve as well. The BRC retail sales monitor also jumped 4.6 percent. As a leading indicator for the broader retail sales index, the data suggests that consumer spending improved materially in the month April. The early release of the employment numbers helps to explain why consumer spending has picked up. Although the unemployment rate hit a 10 year high, the number of people claiming unemployment benefits has decreased significantly while earnings saw a smaller than expected decline.

The Bank of England will be delivering its Quarterly Inflation report tomorrow. A more negative tone is expected given the comments made following the last monetary policy decision. This should lead to a correction in the GBP/USD, but that should be looked as an opportunity to add to long positions. I expect any retracement in the GBP/USD to be limited to 1.51 and I am still looking for a move to 1.55.

article from kathylien