Pound could go from bad to worse as May drama dominates mood

epa05875316 Newly issued 12-sided 1 pound coins are pictured in London, Britain, 28 March 2017. The 12-sided coin is the first change to the shape of the One Pound coin since its introduction in 1983. Britain's finance ministry said the new coin would be 'the most secure of its kind in the world' to prevent a rise in counterfeits. The old coins will cease to be legal tender on October 15.  EPA/HANNAH MCKAY

Bloomberg

There may be no respite for the pound after its worst weekly performance in a year.
Sterling fell almost 3 percent last week, after a chaotic Conservative party conference cast the premiership of Theresa May in doubt. With political intrigue set to continue, the Brexit talks restarting and manufacturing data due, strategists anticipate another volatile week and investors in the options market have turned bearish. Meanwhile, May could be planning an overhaul of her team of top ministers soon, the Sunday Times reported.
“Theresa May’s position as prime minister is clearly foremost in the market’s mind,” said Jane Foley, Rabobank’s head of currency strategy.
“If she goes, investors are going to be fearful that’s
going to open up a catalog of events which will lead to a Labour government.”
Theresa May told reporters that she had the “full support” of her cabinet. Although ex-Tory party chairman Grant Shapps said 30 members of the party were willing to sign a letter calling for her to resign, this falls short of the 48 signatures needed to launch a leadership challenge.
May will reshuffle her cabinet after an October 19-20 summit in Brussels, the Sunday Times reported, citing unidentified party sources.
Sterling will “recover its latest Tory-related losses should May cling on and domestic political risks meaningfully ease,” said Viraj Patel, a currency strategist at ING Groep NV.
With Brexit talks due to start again this week, one-week volatility on the pound is higher than one- and three-month gauges. That suggests investors see more dramatic moves for sterling in the near term. Meanwhile, one-week risk reversals have turned bearish on the currency. The market will also be awaiting any further clarity on the Bank of England’s thinking, having priced in an interest-rate hike in November. This week’s data will provide investors with the latest evidence of both how likely the bank is to tighten policy, said Foley.

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