• GBP/JPY holds near multi-year highs as thin holiday trade keeps price action range-bound.
  • Persistent Yen weakness continues to support the cross.
  • Technically, the RSI is cooling from overbought levels, pointing to near-term consolidation.

The British Pound (GBP) trades slightly lower against the Japanese Yen (JPY) on Wednesday, though thin holiday trading conditions are keeping price action contained within a tight range. At the time of writing, GBP/JPY trades around 210.60, holding firm near year-to-date highs and its highest level since August 2008.

The Japanese Yen has remained broadly weak this year, as fiscal concerns under the new leadership of Sanae Takaichi and a gradual pace of monetary policy normalisation continued to weigh on the currency. Against this backdrop, GBP/JPY is up around 6.9% year to date, reflecting persistent policy divergence between the UK and Japan.

From a technical perspective, the daily chart continues to reflect a strong uptrend, marked by a clear sequence of higher highs and higher lows, with prices holding comfortably above key moving averages.

That said, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) is easing from overbought territory and hovers around 68, signalling a risk of a mild pullback or consolidation before the next leg higher. A sustained recovery could see the pair push beyond the 212.00 handle, extending the broader bullish trend.

On the downside, initial support is seen in the 208.50-208.00 zone, where the 21-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) sits near 208.13. A decisive break below this short-term average would weaken the bullish structure and open the door for a deeper pullback toward the 50-day SMA around 205.22, followed by the 100-day SMA near 202.57.

Meanwhile, the Average Directional Index (ADX) is holding near 27, signalling that the trend remains strong, even as momentum cools in the near term.

Pound Sterling FAQs

The Pound Sterling (GBP) is the oldest currency in the world (886 AD) and the official currency of the United Kingdom. It is the fourth most traded unit for foreign exchange (FX) in the world, accounting for 12% of all transactions, averaging $630 billion a day, according to 2022 data. Its key trading pairs are GBP/USD, also known as ‘Cable’, which accounts for 11% of FX, GBP/JPY, or the ‘Dragon’ as it is known by traders (3%), and EUR/GBP (2%). The Pound Sterling is issued by the Bank of England (BoE).

The single most important factor influencing the value of the Pound Sterling is monetary policy decided by the Bank of England. The BoE bases its decisions on whether it has achieved its primary goal of “price stability” – a steady inflation rate of around 2%. Its primary tool for achieving this is the adjustment of interest rates. When inflation is too high, the BoE will try to rein it in by raising interest rates, making it more expensive for people and businesses to access credit. This is generally positive for GBP, as higher interest rates make the UK a more attractive place for global investors to park their money. When inflation falls too low it is a sign economic growth is slowing. In this scenario, the BoE will consider lowering interest rates to cheapen credit so businesses will borrow more to invest in growth-generating projects.

Data releases gauge the health of the economy and can impact the value of the Pound Sterling. Indicators such as GDP, Manufacturing and Services PMIs, and employment can all influence the direction of the GBP. A strong economy is good for Sterling. Not only does it attract more foreign investment but it may encourage the BoE to put up interest rates, which will directly strengthen GBP. Otherwise, if economic data is weak, the Pound Sterling is likely to fall.

Another significant data release for the Pound Sterling is the Trade Balance. This indicator measures the difference between what a country earns from its exports and what it spends on imports over a given period. If a country produces highly sought-after exports, its currency will benefit purely from the extra demand created from foreign buyers seeking to purchase these goods. Therefore, a positive net Trade Balance strengthens a currency and vice versa for a negative balance.

Source: Fxstreet