Following a Sterling rally last week, particularly against the USD, the Pound has dropped back off following Monday’s dismal UK manufacturing PMI data.
Manufacturing activity in the UK came in considerably worse than expectation with June’s figure at 54.3 as compared to a previous figure of 56.3.
This figure, showing expansion, demonstrates that the manufacturing sector was largely unaffected by the uncertainty surrounding the UK General Election and the start of the Brexit process. However, crucially, the rate of expansion slowed again which remains a cause for concern in the long term.
To further compound this point construction PMI released today stalled in June and also missed expectations. This reflects weaker rises in commercial building and civil engineering projects.
British Pound With GBP if not all at sea but wallowing against the crashing waves of USD strength, it is a tale of two cities for beleaguered Brits: GBP/USD dipping below the previous floor of 1.2600 but versus EUR GBP still looking firm due to the apparent divergence between the Federal Reserve and the European […]
Germany Gloomy Germans is not an entirely unknown phenomenon for those of us who have toiled in Finanzplatz Deutschland or the Financial Marketplace of Germany which primarily encompasses Frankfurt, Berlin, Dusseldorf and Hamburg. Unfortunately the ZEW German Research Institute are upholding that less than noble tradition in their Economic Sentiment Indicator report that was released […]
EU Stagflation With inflation blipping up and business activity turning down, the S word is back on the table. Not only manufacturing but also the services sector fell sharply in November with the Purchasing Managers Index at its lowest level this year. The EUR facing a rampant Dollar is increasingly undermined by its own weakening […]