Positive UK data holds cable near 3-year highs.

Sterling has this morning been buoyed by strong retail sales data. The ONS reported that sales jumped 9.2% from a forecast 4.5%, citing a near 70% increase in clothes sales from the previous month. This positive data has led the GBPUSD rate to trade at near 3-year highs.

After poor non-farm jobs figured on the 1^st Friday of the month, many US employers are aggressively hiring. Republican governors in 21 states will be withdrawing from the central government subsidised unemployment benefit programme that pays individuals up to $15per hour. The move looks likely to force unemployed workers back into the jobs market. Economists polled by Reuters have forecast 450,000 applications for the latest week. Jobless claims remain well above the 200,000 to 250,000 range that is viewed as consistent with healthy labour market conditions.

On the continent, both French and German PMI readings came in above expectation. Being the powerhouses of the single currency, much of the euro’s value is derived from their economic performance. GBPEUR is currently trading at 1.1610. Sothern European states will likely see an boost should they be added to the UK’s green-list in the coming weeks.

A ceasefire has been reached in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict after 10 days of fighting and calls from numerous world leaders to end the violence.

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