Pound Sheds Almost 0.5% after UK Unemployment Rate Soars

Sterling

The British Pound Sterling crashed to a one-week low on Wednesday, February 21, after official data showed Britain’s unemployment rate rose unexpectedly for the first time in almost two years in the three months to December.

The GBP fell to as low as $1.3927, down almost half a percent on the day, after trading at $1.3972 before the data was released.

Against the euro, it weakened to the day’s low of 88.45 pence, from 88.26 beforehand.

UK gilt futures extended gains by around 10 ticks while Britain’s FTSE 100 reduced losses slightly, last down 0.2 percent.

Wage growth remained largely unchanged over the period but jumped in December alone, the Office for National Statistics also said.