BLBG: Pound Strengthens to 2-Week High Versus Euro Before Output Data
The pound rose for a third day against the euro, reaching the strongest level in two weeks, before a report that economists said will show U.K. industrial output advanced for the first time in three months in October.
Sterling was poised for a weekly gain versus the dollar. Total industrial output climbed 0.8 percent, the Office for National Statistics will say today in London, according the median forecast of 31 economists in a Bloomberg News survey. Manufacturing production shrank 0.2 percent from September, a separate survey showed. The National Institute of Economic and Social Research will announce its economic growth estimate for the three months through November at 3 p.m. London time.
The pound appreciated 0.2 percent to 80.62 pence per euro at 7:54 a.m. London time, after reaching 80.60 pence, the strongest level since Nov. 22. Sterling was little changed at $1.6048. It has gained 0.2 percent since Nov. 30.
Sterling has gained 1.3 percent this year, according to Bloomberg Correlation-Weighted Indexes, which track 10 developed-market currencies. The euro declined 2.5 percent and the dollar fell 2.3 percent in the same period, the indexes show.
Gilts returned 3.1 percent this year through yesterday, according to indexes compiled by Bloomberg and the European Federation of Financial Analysts Societies. German bunds gained 4.3 percent and U.S. Treasuries earned 2.8 percent.
To contact the reporter on this story: David Goodman in London at dgoodman28@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Paul Dobson at pdobson2@bloomberg.net