Sept 4 (Reuters) - Sterling held steady on Wednesday
after a survey showed Britain's services activity grew last
month at the fastest pace since April, adding to signs of
momentum in the economy.
The pound was flat at $1.3115, hovering near a
two-week low touched in the prior session. The currency has
eased somewhat after a stunning rally in August that pushed it
to its strongest level in more than two years.
The S&P Global UK Services Purchasing Managers Index rose in
August to 53.7 from 52.5 in July, above a preliminary estimate
of 53.3.
The survey, which also pointed to easing price pressures,
followed a poor reading on U.S. manufacturing activity which
knocked global stocks lower ahead of monthly U.S. payrolls data
on Friday.
Traders are pricing in just over 100 basis points of
interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve by the end of the
year, and about 39 bps, or at least one more cut, from the Bank
of England this year.
Britain's central bank cut borrowing costs last month for
the first time since March 2020, to 5.0% from a 16-year high of
5.25%.
"We think sterling can grind higher but with greater unwind
risk because of how stretched positioning is," said Alex Jekov,
head of G10 FX strategy at BNP Paribas.
The euro edged up against the pound at 84.275
pence, rising for a fourth consecutive day after having hit a
one-month low late last week.
HCOB's composite PMI for the euro zone, compiled by S&P
Global and seen as a good gauge of overall economic health,
jumped to 51.0 in August from July's 50.2.