Pound hits three-month low versus dollar

09 Nov, 2005

Sterling dropped to its lowest in more than three months against the dollar on Tuesday as broad-based dollar strength dominated sentiment, leaving the pound vulnerable in the near term.
Overnight, British Retail Consortium data showed British like-for-like retail sales fell only slightly in October while total sales rose at their strongest pace in seven months.
Government data showed house price growth in England and Wales slowed in the third quarter. A think-tank report showed the economy probably grew by 0.4 percent in the three months to October, matching an upwardly revised 0.4 percent in the previous three-month period.
But analysts said the dollar's strength continued to be the overriding factor in the market.
"This is all about the dollar going up, it's still looking very firm against the euro and the yen and sterling is no exception to the rule," CIBC World Markets European economist Audrey Childe-Freeman said.
By 1500 GMT, sterling was down 0.4 percent against the dollar at $1.7400, having hit $1.7328 earlier - its lowest mid July. The dollar jumped to a two-year high against the euro and hovered near a two-year peak versus the yen, buoyed by a widening US yield advantage. Against the euro, the pound traded at 67.58 pence, up 0.24 percent on the day.

Read Comments