• The GBP/USD weekly forecast is strongly bullish as the dollar remains broadly weaker amid the Fed’s policy outlook.
• The easing of geopolitical worries and contraction of US GDP further weighed on the dollar.
• Next week’s employment data and US PMIs are essential to watch.

The British pound soared to its highest level since October 2021 against the US dollar, closing the week with a firm 2% gain above the 1.3700 mark. It was a seventh consecutive daily gain for the pair.

The rally was fueled by broader dollar weakness, easing geopolitical worries in the Middle East, and speculations around the Fed’s policy outlook.
 

What Happened to GBP/USD Last Week?

The GBP/USD pair started the week with a bearish gap as investors fled to the safe-haven dollar in the wake of America’s attacks on three nuclear sites of Iran. The fear of further escalation after Iran’s warning weighed on the pound and other riskier assets. However, a swift ceasefire restored the peace, and the US dollar collapsed, lending room to the pound buyers.

The Fed’s policy outlook also contributed to the dollar’s further decline. Markets are now pricing in a 21% probability for a July cut and75% for the September cut, driven by dovish commentary from the Fed’s Bowman and Waller. However, Fed Chair Powell maintained a cautious tone due to Trump’s tariffs, which may reignite inflation. However, Trump’s criticism of the Fed, accompanied by a threat to replace the chairman as soon as September, created chaos, resulting in a further sell-off of the US dollar.

The US economic data also reinforced the dovish narrative. The Q1 GDP showed a contraction of 0.5%, but Durable Goods Orders surprised to the upside. On Friday, the Core PCE Index came in at 2.7% y/y, slightly above the estimate, providing a mild bid to the dollar but not enough to offset the broader bearish momentum.

On the UK side, the pound found relative stability due to improved economic sentiment and better business activity.
 

GBP/USD Key Events Next Week

There is no significant data from the UK next week. However, the markets will be closely watching the US labor market data and the Fed Chair’s speech. The ADP employment is expected to tick up to 105,000 from the previous 37,000 modestly. But the NFP print may continue its decline to 120k from the last 139k. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate may also slightly rise to 4.3%.

In addition to these, US Manufacturing/Services PMIs and JOLTs data are also due next week, which may provide impetus to the market.
 

GBP/USD Weekly Technical Forecast: Bulls Pause at 1.3700

(Click on image to enlarge)

GBP/USD daily chart

The daily chart for the GBP/USD shows a strong bullish momentum, lying well above the key moving averages. However, the price could not hold onto the weekly highs of 1.3770 and corrected downwards. But the 1.3700 continues to support the upside. Meanwhile, the 20-day SMA is at 1.3555, which is almost 150 pips down from the current price. The overextended rally may see some consolidation and reversion to the 20-day SMA before a bullish continuation.

The daily RSI is still below the overbought territory, which means further gains cannot be ruled out. The pair may test its weekly top at 1.3770 ahead of 1.3800. The ultimate bullish target lies at 1.4000.

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