By FXEmpire.com

GBP/USD Fundamental Analysis April 19, 2012, Forecast
Analysis and Recommendations:
The GBP/USD is currently over the 1.60 level of resistance and seems to be holding. The sterling is going for 1.6013 as it continued to gain in the US session.
The dollar lost ground to sterling after April minutes of Bank of England meeting show quantitative-easing advocate Adam Posen dropped his call to expand central bank’s bond-buying program.
Members of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee voted 8-1 to hold the size of its asset-purchase program, the centerpiece of its quantitative-easing strategy, at 325 billion pounds ($519.3 billion) at their monthly policy meeting
The unemployment rate in the U.K. for the three-month period ending February 2012 came in at 8.3%, down from a prior reading of 8.4%, the Office for National Statistics reported on Wednesday.
The U.S. is very supportive of the move by Europe and other countries to boost the firepower of the International Monetary Fund to help alleviate any spillover from the European crisis, said Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner
Economic Reports for April 18, 2012 actual v. forecast
AUD |
MI Leading Index (MoM) |
0.2% |
0.6% |
|
EUR |
Current Account |
-1.3B |
5.0B |
3.7B |
EUR |
Spanish House Price Index (YoY) |
-7.20% |
-5.90% |
-6.80% |
GBP |
Average Earnings Index +Bonus |
1.1% |
1.3% |
1.3% |
GBP |
Claimant Count Change |
3.6K |
7.0K |
4.5K |
GBP |
MPC Meeting Minutes |
|||
GBP |
Unemployment Rate |
8.3% |
8.4% |
8.4% |
CHF |
ZEW Expectations |
2.1 |
-8.0 |
0.0 |
EUR |
German 2-Year Schatz Auction |
0.140% |
0.310% |
|
EUR |
Spanish Trade Balance |
-3.75B |
-3.90B |
-3.65B |
USD |
MBA Mortgage Applications |
6.9% |
-2.4% |
|
USD |
Crude Oil Inventories |
3.856M |
1.363M |
2.791M |
BoC Monetary Policy Report |
||||
USD |
Gasoline Inventories |
-3.671M |
-0.931M |
-4.277M |
Economic Events scheduled for April 19, 2012 that affect the European and American Markets
14:00:00 EUR Consumer Confidence -19 -20.3
The Consumer Confidence released by the European Commission is a leading index that measures the level of consumer confidence in economic activity. A high level of consumer confidence stimulates economic expansion while a low level drives to economic downturn. A high reading is seen as positive (or bullish) for the EUR, while a low reading is seen as negative (or bearish).
14:00:00 USD Existing Home Sales (MoM) 4.63M 4.59M
The Existing Home Sales, released by the National Association of Realtors provide an estimated value of housing market conditions. As the housing market is considered as a sensitive factor to the US economy, it generates some volatility for the USD. Generally speaking, a high reading is positive for the Dollar, while a low reading is negative.
14:00:00 USD Philadelphia Fed Man 12.2 12.5
The Philadelphia Fed Survey is a spread index of manufacturing conditions (movements of manufacturing) within the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. This survey, served as an indicator of manufacturing sector trends, is interrelated with the ISM manufacturing Index (Institute for Supply Management) and the index of industrial production. It is also used as a forecast of The ISM Index. Generally, an above-the-expectations reading is seen as positive for the USD.
Government Bond Auction Schedule:
Apr 20 15:30 Italy Details CTZ/BTPei on Apr 24 & BOT on Apr 26
Apr 23-27 n/a UK Re-opened 3.75% 2052 Conventional Gilt syndication (further details tba)
Apr 23 09:30 Germany Eur 3.0bn new Apr 2013 (12M) Bubill
Apr 23 10:00 Belgium OLO Auction cancelled
Apr 23 15:30 Italy Details BTP/CCTeu on Apr 27
Apr 24 00:30 Japan Auctions 20Y JGBs
Apr 24 08:30 Holland Eur 1.5-2.5bn Jul 2014 & Jan 2037 DSL auction
Apr 24 08:30 Spain 3 & 6M T-bill auction
Apr 24 09:10 Italy Auctions CTZ/BTPei
Apr 24 14:30 UK Details Conventional Gilt auction on May 01 & I/L auction on May 03
Apr 24 17:00 US Auctions 2Y Notes
Apr 25 09:10 Sweden Auctions T-bills
Apr 25 09:30 Germany Eur 3.0bn new Jul 2044 Bund
Apr 25 14:30 Sweden Details nominal bond auction on May 02
Apr 25 17:00 US Auctions 5Y Notes
Apr 26 00:30 Japan Auctions 2Y JGBs
Apr 26 09:10 Italy BOT auction
Apr 26 14:30 Sweden Details I/L bond auction on May 03
Apr 26 17:00 US Auctions 7Y Notes
Apr 27 09:10 Italy BTP/CCTeu auction
Originally posted here