7 Weeks Until (Another) Brexit Deadline.

Officials from the UK and EU will resume talks today to try and agree terms on their future relationship.  After a brief summer recess, face-to-face discussions will resume again in Brussels.  With only 7 weeks left until the scheduled conclusion of the negotiations on October 2^nd, the pressure continues to mount on representatives from each side to find common ground.

The two key sticking points with negotiations remain what access EU vessels will have to U.K. fishing waters and how closely Britain will have to remain to the bloc’s rules to ensure a competitive playing field.

Despite the fact that neither side has made adequate concessions so far, Boris Johnston’s spokesperson Jamie Davies told reporters yesterday “our assessment is that a deal can still be reached in September.”

It has been reported this morning that Marks and Spencer is set to cut 7,000 jobs over the next three months.  Representatives from M&S have said that the coronavirus pandemic has made it clear that there had been a “material shift in trade.”

Retail industry commentator Richard Lim, of Retail Economics made some stark comments following the M&S announcement.  When discussing other companies in the sector he said, “The reality is that many more retailers will fail and the number of job losses will ramp up as government support is withdrawn.  This is the calm before the storm.”

Away from the UK, EUR/USD breached 1.19 in early trading this morning as the weak dollar trend continues.

With a relatively muted day on economic data releases the market will look for direction from other areas today.

Economic Calendar