High Inflation Props Up GBP In A Dovish Environment

Market Overview - Financial markets experienced volatility, starting strong but ending with uncertainty due to geopolitical tensions and regional bank issues [1] - The US dollar initially strengthened but softened after dovish signals from the Federal Reserve, while safe havens like the Japanese yen and Swiss franc saw inflows during market stress [2] Federal Reserve Insights - FED Chair Jerome Powell highlighted increased downside risks to employment and evidence of labor market cooling, despite delays in official data due to the government shutdown [3] - Powell maintained that long-term inflation expectations align with the 2% target and indicated the possibility of a quarter-point rate cut at the upcoming meeting [4] - He acknowledged that the Fed may halt quantitative tightening soon, with the balance sheet expected to remain larger than pre-pandemic levels due to higher demand for reserves [4] Currency Pairs Analysis - AUD/JPY has shown signs of bullish movement after finding support at previous levels, with a short-term target set around 102 [5][6] - The British pound has gained strength against most currencies, with a focus on its sustained range against SGD and potential breakout towards 1.76 [7][10] Economic Indicators - Canadian inflation has declined to approximately 3%, while UK inflation is expected to rise to 4%, influencing the strength of the pound and the Bank of England's rate decisions [11]