The British pound edged higher toward $1.355 as investors digested Chancellor John Healey’s first major speech ahead of the Oct. 28 budget. Healey pledged to maintain fiscal discipline and restore the UK’s credibility in international bond markets, while outlining plans to boost regional growth by using institutions including the National Wealth Fund and British Business Bank to attract private investment. Higher borrowing costs, driven by renewed inflation concerns amid the US-Iran war and uncertainty over Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s spending plans, are eroding the government’s fiscal headroom and fueling expectations of tax increases in the budget. Meanwhile, oil prices approached seven-week highs after US strikes on Iranian oil tankers. On the economic data front, UK firms increased full-time hiring in August for the first time in four years, while house prices fell year-on-year for the first time since November 2023.
The GBP/USD exchange rate fell to 1.3537 on September 8, 2026, down 0.03% from the previous session. Over the past month, the British Pound has strengthened 0.21%, and is up by 0.12% over the last 12 months. Historically, the British Pound reached an all time high of 2.86 in December of 1957. British Pound - data, forecasts, historical chart - was last updated on September 8 of 2026.
The GBP/USD exchange rate fell to 1.3537 on September 8, 2026, down 0.03% from the previous session. Over the past month, the British Pound has strengthened 0.21%, and is up by 0.12% over the last 12 months. The British Pound is expected to trade at 1.35 by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate it to trade at 1.38 in 12 months time.