Content and data provided by various third parties and Fidelity - Terms of Use
Print.Print
Small font size A Larger text size A Largest text size A

Sterling slips as UK wage growth cools and jobless rate rises

BY Reuters | ECONOMIC | 02/17/26 02:12 AM EST

LONDON, Feb 17 (Reuters) - The pound fell on Tuesday after data showed Britain's unemployment ?rate rose in December while ?wage growth slowed more than expected, ?potentially adding to the case for ?further Bank of England ?rate ?cuts.

Sterling was last down 0.29% against the ?dollar at $1.359, ?having traded at $1.3613 before the figures were released.

One measure of ?wage growth, ?year-on-year ?growth in average weekly earnings over a three-month period, slowed more ?than expected to 4.2%, from ?4.6% in November.

The data showed the unemployment rate rose to 5.2% in December, up ?from ?5.1% a month earlier ?but in line with economists' expectations.

The ?pound has risen around 0.8% this year against the dollar as the U.S. currency has suffered from the Trump administration's unpredictable economic policies ?and as the British economy has shown some signs of ?life. (Reporting by Harry ?Robertson, editing by ?Alun John)

More Fixed Income News

All Fixed Income News

In general the bond market is volatile, and fixed income securities carry interest rate risk. (As interest rates rise, bond prices usually fall, and vice versa. This effect is usually more pronounced for longer-term securities.) Fixed income securities also carry inflation risk and credit and default risks for both issuers and counterparties. Unlike individual bonds, most bond funds do not have a maturity date, so avoiding losses caused by price volatility by holding them until maturity is not possible.

Lower-quality debt securities generally offer higher yields, but also involve greater risk of default or price changes due to potential changes in the credit quality of the issuer. Any fixed income security sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to loss.

Before investing, consider the funds' investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. Contact Fidelity for a prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus containing this information. Read it carefully.

© 1998 – 2014 FMR LLC.

All rights reserved.
fir_news_article