British Pound elevates despite firm US claims

GBP/USD trades higher near the 1.3400 area on Thursday, as the US Dollar (USD) fails to find support from stronger-than-expected United States (US) jobless claims data and hawkish signals in the latest Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) Minutes.

United States (US) Initial Jobless Claims fell to 215K, below expectations of 218K and the previous revised 217K, while the four-week average eased to 218.75K from 222.5K. However, Continuing Jobless Claims rose slightly to 1.814 million from 1.806 million, suggesting that while layoffs remain limited, workers are still taking longer to find new jobs.

The Greenback also remained supported after the FOMC Minutes showed that policymakers were divided on the inflation outlook, with some officials seeing a case for tighter policy if price pressure remains elevated. A few Fed officials reportedly saw a case for a rate hike at the June meeting, reinforcing the view that the Fed is not ready to turn dovish while inflation remains above target.

On the United Kingdom (UK) side, the Pound Sterling (GBP) is supported by a cautious outlook from the Bank of England (BoE). The BoE has warned that inflation could remain elevated due to energy price effects, while noting that the UK labor market is loosening and growth remains fragile. This keeps traders cautious on GBP as markets balance sticky inflation risks against signs of softer economic momentum.

Short-term technical analysis:

On the 4-hour chart, GBP/USD trades at 1.3400 with a constructive near-term bias as the pair holds above both the 20-period Simple Moving Average (SMA) at 1.3377 and the 100-period SMA at 1.3278. Price is also trading over nearby horizontal supports at 1.3389 and 1.3385, reinforcing a positive structure, while the Relative Strength Index (RSI) around 59 stays in bullish but not overbought territory, suggesting room for further upside.

On the topside, initial resistance is seen at 1.3411, with a subsequent barrier at 1.3422 where recent supply has been located. On the downside, a first layer of support emerges at 1.3389, followed by 1.3385, while deeper pullbacks would look toward the 20-period SMA at 1.3377 and then the 100-period SMA at 1.3278 as more significant demand zones.