Sterling Falls Vs Euro, Dollar After Weak UK Data

The pound fell against the euro and the dollar on Friday after a batch of weak UK data provided more evidence that the economy is slowing sharply, adding weight to UK rate cut expectations.

The euro remained within sight of parity against the pound, hovering just short of the record highs above 98 pence reached earlier in the week.

Data on Friday revealed UK mortgage approvals plunged to a record low in November, while a Bank of England survey revealed that credit conditions are set to tighten further in the coming months.

More grim news came as Halifax reported house prices fell 2.2 percent last month, and the purchasing managers' survey for manufacturing showed a near-record pace of contraction in the sector during December.

The figures kept alive expectations that the BoE will continue cutting interest rates aggressively after slashing borrowing costs by 300 basis points to 2.0 percent between October and December.

"Sterling weakened after the data. The market knows there is so much bad news to come from the UK and it doesn't expect to see anything good," said James Hughes, market analyst at CMC Markets.

At 1505 GMT, the euro rose 0.4 percent to 95.83 pence. The pound lost 0.4 percent versus the dollar to $1.4541, after falling as low as $1.4377.

On a trade-weighted basis, sterling was at 74.2, not far off the record low of 73.3 reached on Tuesday.

Volumes remained very thin, however, with many investors still away after Thursday's New Year holiday.

"It is a matter of waiting until next week, when traders will be back at their desks and we have some key data due out, not least the expected BoE rate cut on Thursday," CMC's Hughes said.

The euro surged against the pound towards the end of December, hitting a record high of 98.05 pence on Reuters dealing systems on Tuesday, but the push toward parity failed as year-end positioning and profit-taking set in on Wednesday.

BOE RATE CUT EXPECTED

Sterling was the stand-out loser among major currencies in 2008, dropping around 30 percent against the euro and around 25 percent against the dollar over the year.

It is expected to continue 2009 in a similar vein, as BoE rate-setters continue cutting interest rates in an attempt to revive a flagging economy, possibly forcing them to adopt unconventional measures as borrowing costs get closer to zero.

"The minutes of the Bank's December MPC meeting reinforced the view that UK interest rates will continue to fall ... It seems highly likely that sterling will begin 2009 much as it concluded 2008 - on the ropes," Bank of New York Mellon currency strategist Neil Mellor said.

The BoE's Monetary Policy Committee meets next week, with a decision due on Thursday. Financial markets are currently pricing in a significant probability that rates will fall by 75 basis points to 1.25 percent.

Data due next week will include the latest Nationwide house price survey and the purchasing managers' index for the services sector on Tuesday, followed by industrial production figures on Friday.