GBP

• Euro maintains a moderate near-term bias, with bears looking at the 0.8700 area.
• Eurozone’s services activity for March has been revised up, yet at levels well below February’s.
• UK services sector grew at its slowest pace of the last 11 months in March.

The Euro (EUR) extends losses against the British Pound (GBP) for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, approaching the bottom of its near-term horizontal range at 0.8700, from Monday’s highs at 0.8735.

The pair has been unfazed by the moderate upward revision of the Eurozone’s HCOB Services Purchasing Managers’ Index figures, which were revised up on Tuesday.

Mixed Eurozone services data

Business activity in the countries sharing the Euro expanded at a 50.2 pace, according to final estimations, an inch higher than the 50.1 preliminary reading but well below the 51.9 reading seen in February.

Spain’s services sector has been the main driver of the revision, with business activity rising to 53.3 from Flash estimates of 51.9. The numbers for the region’s stronger economies, however, have disappointed, as France’s sector contracted for the third consecutive month and Germany’s expansion was revised down to 50.9 from 51.2 preliminary estimation and 53.5 in February.

In the UK, the S&P Global Services PMI has also been revised down to 50.5 in March, its slowest growing pace in almost a year, from flash estimations of a 51.0 reading and 53.9 in February.

These figures reflect the strong economic impact of the war in Iran on the Eurozone and UK economies, the day when US President Donald Trump’s deadline on Tehran expires. Investors are holding their breath after Trump threatened to “demolish” Iran’s bridges and energy plants, refusing claims against war crimes

• EUR/GBP holds steady near 0.8720 in Tuesday’s early European session.
• ECB hawkish tone could underpin the Euro against the Pound Sterling.
• Bank of England is anticipated to hold rates this year, according to a Reuters poll.

The EUR/GBP cross trades on a flat note around 0.8720 during the early European session on Tuesday. Traders will take more cues from the Eurozone Retail Sales and German inflation data, which are due later this week. These reports could offer some cues about the European Central Bank (ECB) interest rate path this year.

Meanwhile, the Euro (EUR) could receive some support from the hawkish tone of the European Central Bank (ECB). ECB President Christine Lagarde emphasizied that policy will remain restrictive until inflation sustainably returns to the 2% target. 

Additionally, ECB policymaker Francois Villeroy de Galhau said last week that the central bank’s next interest rate move will very likely be an increase although it is still ‌too early to say when it will start hiking. Markets have priced in 2–3 interest rate hikes for 2026 due to surging energy-driven inflation, a significant shift from previous expectations of holding rates.

The Bank of England (BoE) has shifted from a bias toward cutting rates to a “wait-and-see” stance. The UK central bank is expected to hold Bank Rate at 3.75% for the rest of the year, according to a narrow majority of economists polled by Reuters who have mostly abandoned their previous expectations for cuts but have not followed financial markets in expecting nearly three rate rises this year.

• EUR/GBP retreats towards 0.8700 but remains within the previous days’ ranges.
• The Euro remains near one-month highs after rallying more thn 1% over the last three weeks.
• ECB-BoE monetary policy divergence is keeping EUR/GBP’s downside attempts limited.

The Euro (EUR) is trading lower against the British Pound (GBP) on a calm week opening, with most markets closed on Easter Monday, and markets wary of risk, amid greater concerns about an escalation of the war in Iran. The pair is trading at 0.8720 at the time of writing, down from session highs at 0.8735, yet still within the last few days’ trading range.

Investors are holding their breath following fresh threats by US President Donald Trump to destroy Iran’s bridges and energy plants if Tehran does not open the Strait of Hormuz before Tuesday at 8 PM.

Earlier in the day, however, a report by Axios suggested that a group of regional mediators is negotiating a 45-day ceasefire that could lead to a peace deal. This has contributed to easing risk aversion somewhat, but Trump’s mixed messages on the war are keeping traders on edge.

ECB-BoE monetary divergence

From a wider perspective, the pair is consolidating near one-month highs, as the Euro has shown greater resilience than the Pound amid the month-long war in the Middle East. The higher inflationary pressures have prompted European Central Bank (ECB) policymakers to suggest that a rate hike is coming, while BoE Governor Andrew Bailey played down the chances of any near-term monetary tightening.

In the calendar on Monday, the main focus will be on the Eurozone Sentix Investor Confidence index, which is likely to show the impact of the Iran war and the energy shock on institutional investors’ confidence. This reading is unlikely to provide any significant support to the common currency.