Markets
News
Analysis
User
24/7
Economic Calendar
Education
Data
- Names
- Latest
- Prev
Trending
Indices
US
Crypto
Forex
Commodities
Futures
SYMBOL
LAST
NET CHG.
%CHG.
BID
ASK
HIGH
LOW
SPREAD
- All
- Chatrooms
- Groups
- Friends
Connecting
.
.
.
US
VN
TW
- All
- Trump Trade
- Israel-Palestine Conflict
- Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Search
News
Trending Topics
Daily News
To quickly learn market dynamics and follow market focuses in 15 min.
Remarks of Officials
In the world of mankind, there will not be a statement without any position, nor a remark without any purpose.
Central Bank
Inflation, exchange rates, and the economy shape the policy decisions of central banks; the attitudes and words of central bank officials also influence the actions of market traders.
Forex
Money makes the world go round and currency is a permanent commodity. The forex market is full of surprises and expectations.
Latest Update
Risk Warning on Trading HK Stocks
Despite Hong Kong's robust legal and regulatory framework, its stock market still faces unique risks and challenges, such as currency fluctuations due to the Hong Kong dollar's peg to the US dollar and the impact of mainland China's policy changes and economic conditions on Hong Kong stocks.
HK Stock Trading Fees and Taxation
Trading costs in the Hong Kong stock market include transaction fees, stamp duty, settlement charges, and currency conversion fees for foreign investors. Additionally, taxes may apply based on local regulations.
HK Non-Essential Consumer Goods Industry
The Hong Kong stock market encompasses non-essential consumption sectors like automotive, education, tourism, catering, and apparel. Of the 643 listed companies, 35% are mainland Chinese, making up 65% of the total market capitalization. Thus, it's heavily influenced by the Chinese economy.
HK Real Estate Industry
In recent years, the real estate and construction sector's share in the Hong Kong stock index has notably decreased. Nevertheless, as of 2022, it retains around 10% market share, covering real estate development, construction engineering, investment, and property management.
Recent Searches
Top Searches
View All
No data
Search
Pound Sterling Rallies Against Euro and Dollar on Retail Sales, Borrowing Surprises
Summary:
The British Pound rose against the Euro and Dollar after UK retail sales easily beat expectations and the government recorded a rare financial surplus in January.
The Pound-to-Euro exchange rate (GBPEUR) jumped to 1.2080 after the ONS said retail sales rose 1.7% month-on-month in January, breezing past expectations for a print of 0.3% and recovering from December's dismal -0.6%.
The Pound-to-Dollar exchange rate rallied to a new two-month high at 1.2678 after markets pared back bets for a Bank of England rate cut in March.
Retail sales growth now stands at 1.0% year-on-year, better than the 0.6% markets anticipated.
"Retail sales data for January provided some good news, showing some decent growth - well above expectations. The economy is proving to be a conundrum for policy makers at the moment. There is no doubt it could do with some stimulus, but inflation is a concern, and this data suggests the consumer is in a healthy state whilst confidence levels show the opposite," says Neil Birrell, Chief Investment Officer at Premier Miton Investors.
However, the Pound's upside potential will be curbed by the details in the report, with Charlie Huggins, an analyst at Wealth Club, saying they are not as good as they first appear.
He explains the recovery was largely due to a significant recovery in food sales. Non-food stores saw sales decline by 1.3%, with clothing sales especially weak, "hardly a sign that consumers are feeling flush."
"The large increase in food sales is clearly a positive for supermarkets, but it may be a worrying sign for other parts of the economy. More people eating at home is especially bad news for restaurants, pubs and bars. These sectors are in dire need of footfall, with their costs set to rise significantly in April following the Autumn Budget," says Huggins.
He warns that few retailers will cheer these figures.
Tax Boost for Reeves
The UK government recorded a surplus of £15.442BN in January said the ONS, thanks to a £117.6BN tax haul in January 2025, an increase of £7.8BN compared to January 2024.
This was largely driven by an increase in self-assessment taxes of £36.2BN, making for the highest January figure on record.
Unfortunately for Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the surplus was £5.1BN lower than the £20.5BN forecast by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) in October 2024.
Still, the current budget balance (day-to-day public sector activities) was in surplus by £24.6BN, the highest since records began in 1997.
Markets Pare Back Rate Cut Bets
The Pound extends a short-term recovery on the back of these data developments as markets reduce expectations for the number of cuts to come from the Bank of England this year.
The market now sees just two cuts as robust demand - as per these retail sales data - suggest additional easing risks exacerbating rising inflation.
This week, the ONS reported inflation unexpectedly rose 3.0% y/y in January and economists warn it is now on course to breach 4.0%, making it harder for the Bank of England to explain why it is cutting interest rates when inflation is running away from the 2.0% target.
The strong retail sales outturn reflects rising wages and a still healthy labour market. This could, however, all change in the spring when national insurance hikes and minimum wage rises are foisted on businesses.
"We expect the pound sterling to remain robust short term as the UK’s rate advantage over European peers rises," says David Alexander Meier, Economic Research analyst at Julius Baer.
Julius Baer thinks the Bank of England will likely remain cautious, holding rates in March. "The BoE's slow pace of cuts will temporarily widen the pound's interest rate advantage," explains Meier.
The Swiss bank sticks to its short-term optimistic outlook on the pound with a 3-month target of EUR/GBP 0.82, with strength likely to fade as the rate advantage narrows later this year.
This translates into a GBP/EUR equation of 1.22.
Source: Poundsterlinglive
To stay updated on all economic events of today, please check out our Economic calendar
Risk Warnings and Disclaimers
You understand and acknowledge that there is a high degree of risk involved in trading. Following any strategies or investment methods may lead to potential losses. The content on the site is provided by our contributors and analysts for information purposes only. You are solely responsible for determining whether any trading assets, securities, strategy, or any other product is suitable for investing based on your own investment objectives and financial situation.
Copyright © 2025 FastBull Ltd
728 RM B 7/F GEE LOK IND BLDG NO 34 HUNG TO RD KWUN TONG KLN HONG KONG
Risk Disclosure
The risk of loss in trading financial instruments such as stocks, FX, commodities, futures, bonds, ETFs and crypto can be substantial. You may sustain a total loss of the funds that you deposit with your broker. Therefore, you should carefully consider whether such trading is suitable for you in light of your circumstances and financial resources.
No decision to invest should be made without thoroughly conducting due diligence by yourself or consulting with your financial advisors. Our web content might not suit you since we don't know your financial conditions and investment needs. Our financial information might have latency or contain inaccuracy, so you should be fully responsible for any of your trading and investment decisions. The company will not be responsible for your capital loss.
Without getting permission from the website, you are not allowed to copy the website's graphics, texts, or trademarks. Intellectual property rights in the content or data incorporated into this website belong to its providers and exchange merchants.