Pound Goes On Rollercoaster Ride After Brexit Draft Deal
Sumaira FH Published October 18, 2019 | 09:40 AM
New York, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Oct, 2019 ) :The British pound had a tumultuous session on Thursday as a draft Brexit deal between London and Brussels sparked both hope and skepticism in a volatile forex market.
Sterling soared to within a whisker of $1.30, striking five-month peaks, when news flashed across traders' screens that the European Union had reached a draft Brexit withdrawal deal with London.
The pound held on to most of those gains for a while, absorbing a bout of profit-taking, but then the Currency plunged into negative territory when it dawned on investors that there was no guarantee of UK parliamentary backing for the agreement.
"After the initial relief that the UK government and EU have done a deal, markets are worried that it still does not have enough support to get through parliament on Saturday," independent economist Julian Jessop told AFP.
By the end of the European business day, the pound was pretty much back to where it started. It strengthened modestly after that.
Wall Street also finished higher, with analysts citing the Brexit deal despite opposition from key lawmakers that threaten its prospects.
- 'Still chance of no deal' It is unclear how many of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative MPs will back the deal when he brings it to lawmakers for approval Saturday, and whether the opposition will try to vote it down or attempt to force a fresh referendum.
"There is still a chance for a no-deal Brexit - although the more likely scenario would be for the Prime Minister to follow the law and request the EU for a Brexit deadline extension, which then opens up more uncertainty," said Fawad Razaqzada at Forex.com.
Northern Ireland's hardline loyalist DUP said Thursday it was "unable to support" the draft deal.
A pre-emptive DUP announcement to the same effect issued ahead of the draft deal had already weighed on sterling, before news from Brussels gave the currency wings.
"The Brexit agreement dream has been shattered by the DUP, after reports have surfaced claiming they are still unwilling to back Johnson and his EU divorce agreement," said Sebastien Clements, a currency analyst at OFX.
While the pound stabilized late in the session, "all it takes is a leak from Westminster to restart the market chaos", he said.
- Even Wall Street likes it - The London stock market, which usually moves in the opposite direction from sterling, enjoyed a small rise Thursday, becoming the day's star performer in otherwise lacklustre European equity trading.
Wall Street also pushed higher, aided by strong earnings from Netflix and some other companies, and by optimism over Brexit.
Alan Skrainka of Cornerstone Wealth Management acknowledged there were doubts about the deal's prospects but said "this is really the first tangible sign of progress we've had in some time." - Key figures around 2050 GMT - Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2891 from $1.2832 at 2100 GMT Euro/pound: UP at 86.31 pence from 86.29 pence Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1127 from $1.1072 Dollar/yen: DOWN at 108.62 Yen from 108.76 yen New York - Dow: UP 0.1 percent at 27,025.88 (close) New York - S&P 500: UP 0.3 percent at 2,997.95 (close) New York - Nasdaq: UP 0.4 percent at 8,156.85 (close) London - FTSE 100: UP 0.2 percent at 7,182.32 (close) Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.4 percent at 5,673.07 (close) Frankfurt - DAX 30: DOWN 0.1 percent at 12,654.95 (close) EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 0.3 percent at 3,588.62 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.1 percent at 22,451.86 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng: UP 0.7 percent at 26,848.49 (close) Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.1 percent at 2,977.33 (close)Brent North Sea crude: UP 0.8 percent at $59.91 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 1.1 percent at $53.93 per barrel.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 25 April 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 25 April 2024
Mired in crisis, Boeing reports another loss
Session Awarding Ceremony 2024 held at Cadet College Muzaffarabad
Austrian ski great Hirscher to make comeback under Dutch flag
Pakistan, Japan agrees to convene 'Economic Policy Dialogue'
FM Dar conveys deepest sympathy on torrential rains devastation in UAE
Spain PM Sanchez says weighing resignation after wife's graft probe
Tennis: ATP/WTA Madrid Open results - 1st update
Long-lost Klimt portrait auctioned off for 30 mn euros
Osaka seals first win on clay since 2022 in Madrid
Earthquake jolts Karachi
More Stories From Business
-
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 25 April 2024
3 minutes ago -
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 25 April 2024
28 minutes ago -
Meta profits soar but costs of AI cause worry
1 hour ago -
Mired in crisis, Boeing reports another loss
10 hours ago -
Pakistan, Japan agrees to convene 'Economic Policy Dialogue'
10 hours ago -
British-Pakistani firm unveils $35 million luxury apartments for overseas Pakistanis in Islamabad
10 hours ago
-
European stocks lose momentum after global rally
10 hours ago -
New pulses varieties imperative to cater domestic food requirements: Dr Khalid Hasan
12 hours ago -
CEO KP-EZDMC meets CRBC officials
12 hours ago -
Pakistan among nine poor countries that produces 90 percent cigarettes for world
12 hours ago -
Chief Minister Gilgit Baltistan Haji Gulbar Khan calls on Minister for Privatisation
13 hours ago -
Germany nudges up growth forecast, ailing economy at 'turning point'
13 hours ago