United Kingdom

A June UK Manufacturing PMI Full of Superlatives Suggests Rate Hikes This Year

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on July 1, 2014. Click here to read the entire piece.) The British pound (FXB) responded so strongly to the June Markit/CIPS UK Manufacturing PMI® report that I decided to read it and go beyond the headlines. I found a report full … Read more

Carney Rate Hike Talk Drives Over-Eager Buying of the British Pound

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on June 12, 2014. Click here to read the entire piece.) After artfully fending off questions about the timing for higher interest rates, Mark Carney finally gave the market throngs a clearer hint: {snip} Mark Carney on timing of first rate rise: … Read more

Carney Delivers A Buying Opportunity in the British Pound With Talk Of “Evolving Guidance”

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on January 27, 2014. Click here to read the entire piece.) “Escape velocity won’t come cheap.” – Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England (BoE), January 24, 2014 This was Governor Carney’s warning to the audience at the Davos CBI British … Read more

U.K. Shopping Spree Sends the Pound Soaring

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on January 17, 2014. Click here to read the entire piece.) The United Kingdom’s Office of National Statistics (ONS) reported retail sales today that suggest consumers went on a literal shopping spree in December, 2013. {snip} The ONS reported the most notable … Read more

The British Pound And Euro Surge Despite Higher U.S. Rates

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on December 30, 2013. Click here to read the entire piece.) On Friday, the U.S. 10-year Treasury bond yield hit 3.0%, matching a high for the year. Rate are rising again across the yield curve. Source: St. Louis Federal Reserve This steady … Read more

Early Signals for 2014? Major Breakouts Fade for the Euro and Pound

There were no economic reports of importance from the eurozone or from the United Kingdom to end the week. Yet, this absence did not prevent traders from sending the euro (FXE) and the British pound (FXB) into major overnight breakouts: a 25-month high for the euro and 28-month high for the pound against the U.S. … Read more

British Pound Breaks Out As GDP Further Confirms Momentum of UK Recovery

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on November 26, 2013. Click here to read the entire piece.) Third quarter GDP for the United Kingdom grew 1.5% year-over-year and 0.8% quarter-over-quarter. These numbers met economist “expectations,” yet the British pound soared in response anyway. This rally is important as … Read more

An Apparent About Face As Carney Bails On QE, Provides Rocket Fuel for the Pound

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on September 27, 2013. Click here to read the entire piece.) A simple statement is all it took: “THE Bank of England would consider the case for more quantitative easing should the recovery falter, Mark Carney told the Yorkshire Post. ‘But my … Read more

The British Pound Is A Bargain

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on May 19, 2013. Click here to read the entire piece.) {snip} Traders have gotten quite bullish on the U.S. dollar. Reuters reported that bullish bets on the U.S. dollar have reached an 11-month high: {snip} This critical juncture for the dollar … Read more

A “Non-Dovish” Mark Carney Sets A Floor for the Pound

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on August 30, 2013. Click here to read the entire piece.) {snip} Before Mark Carney took over as governor of the Bank of England (BoE), the main question buzzing in financial media seemed to focus on figuring out just how dovish Carney … Read more