In Monday’s trading session, the EUR/GBP pair has seen notable movements, reflecting changing market dynamics as traders anticipate upcoming economic indicators.
Key Points:
- 📉 EUR/GBP Dips: The pair tests the 0.8750 level, with the Euro showing weakness against the Pound Sterling in early week trading.
- 📅 Awaiting PMI Data: Markets are on hold for the EU and UK PMI data due later this week, potentially influencing currency strength.
- 📊 Technical Analysis: Despite a slight decline, EUR/GBP remains above the 200-day SMA, with a recent high setting the stage for future movements.
November 20, 2023 – The EUR/GBP pair has experienced a retreat to the 0.8750 level, after an unsuccessful attempt last week to reach a new high, highlighting the Euro’s relative weakness against the Pound Sterling. This movement marks the start of a week characterized by cautious trading, with traders eyeing the upcoming Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) data for both the Eurozone and the UK.
The economic calendar appears sparse for both currencies at the week’s start, directing market attention towards Thursday’s PMI releases. Expectations are set for the European PMIs to show a marginal increase, while the UK PMIs are anticipated to align closely with previous figures.
Specifically, the EU HCOB Composite PMI for November is forecasted to rise slightly from 46.5 to 46.9, indicating modest improvements in both Services and Manufacturing sectors. In contrast, the UK S&P Global/CIPS November Composite PMI is expected to remain steady at 48.7, with predictions for the Services component to stay at 49.5 and the Manufacturing sector to exhibit a minor uptick from 44.8 to 45.0.
Today’s currency heatmap reveals the Euro’s performance against major currencies, notably its weakness against the Japanese Yen. The heatmap provides a comprehensive view of the interplay between major currencies, with the Euro exhibiting varied strengths and weaknesses across the board.
From a technical perspective, the EUR/GBP pair demonstrates resilience despite the day’s decline. The pair is trading above the 200-day Simple Moving Average (SMA), which continues its downward trajectory towards 0.8680. Since August’s low in the 0.8500 region, the Euro has gained over 3% against the Pound Sterling.
Last week’s session saw the EUR/GBP pair hitting a six-month high of 0.8766. This sets a critical benchmark for traders, with short-sellers aiming to drive the pair below a rising trendline, and buyers seeking to establish a technical support level, spurred by a bullish crossover of the 50- and 200-day SMAs.
As the week progresses, market participants will closely monitor these developments, alongside the impending PMI data, to gauge the future trajectory of the EUR/GBP pair. The anticipation of these releases underscores their significant impact on currency valuations and investor sentiment in the Forex market.
Given the latest news and the technical analysis of the EUR/GBP chart, here’s a comprehensive trade idea:
Fundamental Context:
- The EUR is showing weakness against the GBP after a failed attempt to break higher, retreating back to the 0.8750 level.
- With a sparse economic calendar in the early week, traders are looking ahead to the PMI data due later, which could induce volatility.
- European PMIs are expected to show slight improvement, which could lend some support to the EUR.
- UK PMIs are forecast to remain steady, potentially stabilizing the GBP.
Technical Analysis:
- The EUR/GBP has pulled back from a resistance zone near the ‘Premium’ level on the chart and is now testing the ‘Equilibrium’ area around 0.8750.
- The chart indicates a short-term downtrend with lower highs since the ‘Weak high’, suggesting bearish momentum.
- The pair remains above the 200-day SMA, but with a declining slope indicating longer-term bearish momentum converging with short-term price action.
- A bullish crossover of the 50- and 200-day SMAs could provide a potential technical floor, offering a bullish signal.
Trade Idea:
- Confidence Level: Moderate, considering both technicals and fundamentals.
- Recommended Position: Short-term bearish, long-term cautious.
- Entry Point: If there’s continued weakness below the Equilibrium point, consider a short entry, particularly if PMI data weakens the EUR further.
- Exit Point: Initial targets could be the ‘Discount’ zone around 0.8700. Monitor the PMIs’ release closely, as better-than-expected data could reverse the trend.
- Stop-Loss: A break above the recent high of 0.8766 might invalidate the bearish outlook and could be a suitable point for a stop-loss.
Conclusion: The combination of the current technical retracement and the fundamental context suggests a bearish stance in the short term, with caution advised due to potential upcoming volatility from the PMI releases. The technicals indicate room for a potential pullback, while the fundamentals will likely dictate the direction as the week progresses.