Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Pound Plummets Amid Weak Data and Rate Speculations

3/13/2026

27 2

Center

Pound Declines Persistently

The British pound fell for the fourth straight day against the U.S. dollar due to weak data and Middle East concerns.
January's GDP stagnation and persistent inflation expectations raise questions about the Bank of England (BoE) monetary policy.
Economists expect an 8-1 vote to hold the rate at 3.75% at the upcoming Monetary Policy Committee meeting.
British 2-year government bond yields rose as markets priced in a hawkish BoE outlook.

Left

UK Economy Stalls

The UK economy posted zero GDP growth in January, according to the Office for National Statistics.
The three-month GDP growth rate rose to 0.2%.
Construction output dropped 2%.
Markets expect the Bank of England to hold the policy rate at 3.75% with no cuts anticipated in 2026, as rising oil prices linked to U.S. President Donald Trump’s Operation Epic Fury on Iran weigh on the recovery.

1 of 2

Pound Declines Persistently

The British pound fell for the fourth straight day against the U.S. dollar due to weak data and Middle East concerns.
January's GDP stagnation and persistent inflation expectations raise questions about the Bank of England (BoE) monetary policy.
Economists expect an 8-1 vote to hold the rate at 3.75% at the upcoming Monetary Policy Committee meeting.
British 2-year government bond yields rose as markets priced in a hawkish BoE outlook.

1 / 2