Brittish Pound Leaps...
The British pound took center stage again on Tuesday, rising sharply against the dollar and euro on renewed speculation of a deal to allow the U.K. to leave the EU smoothly at the end of the month. By 3 AM ET, GBP/USD was at $1.2667, up 0.5%, while EUR/GBP was at 0.8715, down 0.3%. The latest wave of optimism was fueled by comments from the EU’s top negotiator Michel Barnier, who told reporters that a deal at a summit at the end of the week “is still possible”. “I will debrief the EU 27 ministers as usual and just to tell them where we are, where we stand today,” newswires quoted Barnier as saying. “Our team(s) are working hard, and work has just started now today, this work has been intense over the weekend and yesterday, because even if the agreement will be difficult, more and more difficult, to be frank, it is still possible this week,” Barnier added. Barnier has repeatedly stressed the gap between the U.K.’s rhetoric and its ability to deliver effec