EU session review: Pound rises after UK PMI data

Data released:
07:45     Italy     PMI services (June)    47.4    49.4    50.1
07:50     France     PMI services (June)    56.1    56.7    62.5
07:55     Germany     PMI services (June) seasonally adjusted    56.7    58.3    56.1
08:00     EU(17)     PMI services (June)    53.7    54.2    56.0
08:30     UK     CIPS services index (June)    53.9    53.5    53.8
09:00     EU(17)     Retail sales (May) adjusted    -1.1%    -1.0%    0.9%
09:00     EU(17)     Retail sales (May) adjusted Y/Y     -1.9%    -0.6%    1.1%

The pound strengthened against the euro and the dollar after a report showed a measure of U.K. service PMI exceeded economists’ forecasts in June
A gauge of U.K. services growth based on a survey of companies rose to 53.9 from 53.8 in May. The median forecast was for a decline to 53.5.
“The focus from the market right now is very much on the growth numbers, and positive data outcomes will tend to be supportive of sterling,” said Chris Scicluna at Daiwa Capital Markets Europe.
The pound has slumped this year as Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron’s austerity measures to shrink the budget deficit crimp growth and inflation squeezes incomes at the fastest pace since the 1970s. Efforts to eliminate the bulk of the fiscal shortfall by 2015 involve the deepest spending cuts since World War II and more than 300,000 state-employee job losses.
The Bank of England will keep its main rate unchanged at 0.5% on July 7. Investors are betting the central bank won’t raise borrowing costs until after next May.

EUR/USD weakens after some consolidation within the $1.4460/90 range.

GBP/USD rose from session lows around $1.5990 to $1.6030 before retreated.

USD/JPY rose to Y81.20. Later rate retreated to Y81.05.

US data starts at 1400GMT, US factory orders are expected to increase 1.0% in May on the already reported 1.9% increase in durable goods orders.