SINGAPORE, Dec 2 — The British pound began the week on the back foot as polls showed a tightening UK election race, while an unexpected rebound in Chinese manufacturing supported risk appetite.
Sterling was a quarter of a percentage point lower at US$1.2910 (RM5.39) as a clutch of polls showed Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party losing some of its lead ahead of the December 12 election, adding uncertainty.
“A decent Tory (Conservative) majority is in the price,” said Chris Weston, head of research at brokerage Pepperstone. “GBP remains a buy on dips here.”
More broadly, investors clung to hopes for a US-China trade truce and cheered official data released over the weekend showing Chinese factory activity surprisingly grew for the first time in seven months in November.
The trade sensitive Australian and New Zealand dollars each rose more than 0.1 per cent, with the Aussie buying US$0.6768 and the kiwi US$0.6439. The Chinese yuan was a tiny bit firmer at 7.0271 per dollar.
The greenback rose 0.1 per cent against the Japanese yen to 109.66 yen and was steady against the euro at US$1.1017.
The Aussie and the kiwi briefly unwound some gains after news website Axios reported that tensions in Hong Kong had become an obstacle to a Sino-US trade deal, with talks likely to last at least another month.
“The market is taking it with a degree of salt, waiting for clarity,” said Rodrigo Catril, senior FX strategist at National Australia Bank in Sydney.
“We keep on getting these unofficial statements,” he said. “No-one is going to be taking major positions until we get more clarity on the trade front.”
China’s Caixin manufacturing PMI, with a greater focus on smaller businesses, due at 0145 GMT may offer a more detailed economic picture, ahead of European and US figures due later in the day.
However, official clarity on the future of the Sino-US trade talks remains a key focus.
Axios’ report added to worries that US President Donald Trump’s approval of a law backing anti-government protesters in Hong Kong could derail negotiations, as yet more demonstrations flared up in the finance hub over the weekend.
China warned the United States last week it would take “firm countermeasures” in response and said attempts to interfere in the Chinese-ruled city were doomed to fail.
China’s Global Times newspaper also reported yesterday that Beijing’s top priority is the removal of existing tariffs on Chinese goods. — Reuters
