Sterling pushed up by weaker US dollar, hopes of Brexit deal

Wednesday,   18-Nov-2020   02:51 PM (IST)

Sterling was aided on Wednesday by a weaker U.S. dollar and by hopes that Britain will forge a post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union in time for its departure from the EU’s customs union and single market in January. Those hopes have been fed by recent positive comments from British government officials, but also by the announcement that Dominic Cummings, one of the political architects of the Brexit project, was set to leave the government. The pound was last trading up 0.3% at $1.3283, but it was flat against the euro at 89.44 pence. It was also neutral versus the Japanese yen at 138.08. British inflation picked up by a little more than expected in October, pushed higher by prices for clothing and footwear and food. As England remained in full lockdown, on Tuesday reporting 598 deaths within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test, the highest figure since May, worries persisted about how detrimental this could prove for the British economy. Hopes that a vaccine could soon become available received a boost after two pharmaceutical companies recently reported successful results. Bank of England Deputy Governor Dave Ramsden said on Tuesday that positive news about COVID-19 vaccines could help to reduce the risks facing Britain’s economy but the central bank was unlikely to revise up its forecasts as a result.