GBP live macro board

United Kingdom Macro Data Board

Pound sterling — one of the oldest continuously circulating currencies in the world.

The British pound sterling (GBP) is the official currency of the United Kingdom and one of the oldest continuously circulating currencies in the world, with roots tracing back to Anglo-Saxon England. It ranks as the fourth-most-traded currency in global FX markets, appearing in roughly 13% of all daily transactions, and holds third place among global reserve currencies. GBP/USD — known in the market as 'cable' — and EUR/GBP are the two benchmark sterling pairs, while sterling also trades actively against the Japanese yen, Australian dollar, Canadian dollar, and Swiss franc. London's position as the world's largest FX trading hub gives sterling exceptional market depth and liquidity, particularly during the European session. The UK's open capital account and large financial services sector mean GBP is sensitive to global risk sentiment as well as domestic macro data.

Open GBP/USD dashboard Latest readings Release calendar United Kingdom bond yields United Kingdom indicators API coverage

United Kingdom latest macro readings

A scan-ready view of the main GBP indicators, linking each series to its country page, latest announcement, and API endpoint.

Indicator Latest Previous Change Updated Source Links
Central Bank Policy Rate
Monetary Policy
 3.75 3.75 0 2026-06-18 Bank of England Page /Release /API
Inflation Rate (CPI/HICP)
Economy
 3 3 0 2026-06-17 ONS Page /Release /API
Core Inflation
Economy
 2.6 3 -0.4 2026-06-17 ONS Page /Release /API
Producer Price Index (PPI)
Economy
 3.99 4.15 -0.16 2026-06-17 ONS Page /Release /API
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Growth
Economy
 710.896 706.453 +4.443 2026-05-14 ONS Page /Release /API
Unemployment Rate
Labor Market
 4.9 4.9 0 2026-07-21 ONS Page /Release /API
Trade Balance
Economy
 -14,726.00 -11,516.00 -3,210.00 2026-07-16 ONS Page /Release /API
Retail Sales
Economy
 3.3 0.1 +3.2 2026-06-19 ONS Page /Release /API
10-Year Government Bond Yield
Government Bond Yields
 5.01 5.04 -0.03 2026-07-17 UK DMO Page /Release /API
Consumer Confidence
Economy
 55 56 -1 2026-07-17 ONS Page /Release /API
Current Account Balance
Economy
 -22,134.00 -27,178.00 +5,044.00 2026-06-30 ONS Page /Release /API
Exports of Goods & Services
Economy
 239,322.00 235,159.00 +4,163.00 2026-07-16 ONS Page /Release /API

United Kingdom release calendar

Upcoming and recent macro events for the GBP country view.

Top tier
Inflation Rate (CPI/HICP) Office for National Statistics release calendar

Inflation (CPI)

Latest
3
Prior
3
Open series
Top tier
Retail Sales Office for National Statistics release calendar

Retail Sales

Latest
3.3
Prior
0.1
Open series
Tier 2
Trade Balance Office for National Statistics release calendar

Trade Balance

Latest
-14,726.00
Prior
-11,516.00
Open series
Top tier
Central Bank Policy Rate Bank of England upcoming MPC dates

Bank Rate

Latest
3.75
Prior
3.75
Open series
Top tier
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Growth Office for National Statistics release calendar

GDP

Latest
710.896
Prior
706.453
Open series
Top tier
Employment Level Office for National Statistics release calendar

Employment

Latest
34,475,000.00
Prior
34,411,000.00
Open series

GBP currency market profile

Core identifiers, trading context, and product links for the GBP market.

Currency code
GBP

British Pound

Policy institution
Bank of England

Primary central-bank or monetary authority reference.

Primary USD pair
GBP/USD

Fast path into the FX pair dashboard and market profile.

Trading session
London

Approximate primary liquidity window used across FXMacroData pages.

Symbol
£

Display symbol used in product surfaces.

Also known as
pound, sterling, cable

Common market shorthand where available.

United Kingdom macro brief

The highest-signal pages for United Kingdom include Central Bank Policy Rate, Inflation Rate (CPI/HICP), Core Inflation, Producer Price Index (PPI), with each page linking back to the source metadata, release history, and API endpoint.

The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) sets Bank Rate — the benchmark interest rate that anchors borrowing costs, mortgage rates, and savings returns across the UK economy — at eight scheduled meetings per year. The MPC has nine voting members: five Bank insiders (the Governor and four Deputy Governors) and four external economists appointed by HM Treasury, and their individual votes are published simultaneously with the rate decision. The Bank's primary statutory objective is to maintain 2% CPI inflation, as defined by a remit letter from HM Treasury; a secondary objective of supporting economic growth and employment applies when consistent with the price stability goal. Four times a year — in February, May, August, and November — the MPC meeting is accompanied by a full Monetary Policy Report containing fan-chart forecasts for inflation, GDP, and unemployment, plus a press conference by the Governor that markets treat as a major rate-guidance event. When conventional rate policy reaches its limits the Bank can deploy quantitative easing (QE) or quantitative tightening (QT) through its Asset Purchase Facility, buying or selling UK gilts and corporate bonds to influence longer-term yields and financial conditions.

For GBP research, combine the country-level release map with the GBP/USD dashboard, release calendar, and API reference so macro events, source metadata, and FX context stay connected.

The pages below are organized by indicator rather than API route. That keeps the public website useful for research while still preserving the versioned API contract for developers.

What to watch
  • Bank of England Bank Rate decision and MPC vote split (eight times per year), with the Monetary Policy Report press conference in February, May, August, and November.
  • UK CPI and core CPI (ONS, released monthly) — the headline inflation series the MPC is mandated to target.
  • ONS Labour Market Statistics (monthly) — payrolled employees, unemployment rate, claimant count, and average weekly earnings including and excluding bonuses.
  • UK GDP monthly estimate (ONS) and quarterly GDP flash and final releases — track both levels and revisions.
  • S&P Global / CIPS UK Composite PMI (flash and final, monthly) — the earliest monthly growth indicator, closely watched for recession or rebound signals.
  • UK Retail Sales (ONS, monthly) — a key consumption proxy and input into demand-pull inflation assessments.

United Kingdom source map

Publisher groups represented in the checked-in coverage catalogue for this market.

ONS 19 series
Bank of England 13 series
UK DMO 6 series

United Kingdom coverage by category

The country hub keeps rate, inflation, labour, growth, trade, credit, and market data grouped into the same reusable structure across countries.

Economy 12 / 13
Labor Market 5 / 6
Money & Credit 4 / 4
Monetary Policy 2 / 5
Government Bond Yields 6 / 6
Additional Indicators 3 / 4

Key United Kingdom indicators

Highest-signal tracked releases for rates, inflation, growth, labour markets, and external balances.

Central Bank Policy Rate

Primary interest rate set by the Central Bank.

Published page ~8x/year % Starts 2010-01-04 Monetary Policy
Open page

Inflation Rate (CPI/HICP)

Headline inflation: the year-over-year percentage change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the standard measure central banks target.

Published page Monthly %YoY Starts 2010-01-31 Economy
Open page

Core Inflation

CPI excluding volatile items like food and energy.

Published page Monthly %YoY Starts 2010-01-31 Economy
Open page

Producer Price Index (PPI)

Measures the average change over time in the selling prices received by domestic producers for their output.

Published page Monthly %YoY Starts 2010-01-31 Economy
Open page

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Growth

GDP growth: the quarterly change in the inflation-adjusted value of all goods and services produced in the economy.

Published page Quarterly GBP bn Starts 2010-03-31 Economy
Open page

Unemployment Rate

Percentage of the labor force that is unemployed.

Published page Monthly % Starts 2010-01-31 Labor Market
Open page

Trade Balance

The difference between the value of a country's exports and imports.

Published page Monthly GBP mn Starts 2010-03-31 Economy
Open page

Retail Sales

Measures change in the total value of sales at the retail level.

Published page Monthly %YoY Starts 2010-01-31 Economy
Open page

Published United Kingdom indicator pages

Filter by indicator name, source, cadence, or category.

Economy 12 pages

Consumer Confidence

Survey-based measure of consumers' confidence in economic conditions, employment prospects, and personal finances.

Monthly Index (0-100 normalized) Starts HTTP 404
Country page Country list

Core Inflation

CPI excluding volatile items like food and energy.

Monthly %YoY Starts 2010-01-31
Country page Country list

Current Account Balance

Measures trade in goods and services and income flows.

Quarterly GBP mn Starts 2018-03-31
Country page Country list

Exports of Goods & Services

Total exports reported by ABS (AUD millions), quarterly based on national accounts.

Monthly GBP bn Starts 2010-03-31
Country page Country list

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Growth

GDP growth: the quarterly change in the inflation-adjusted value of all goods and services produced in the economy.

Quarterly GBP bn Starts 2010-03-31
Country page Country list

Imports of Goods & Services

Total imports reported by ABS (AUD millions), quarterly based on national accounts.

Monthly GBP bn Starts 2010-03-31
Country page Country list

Inflation Rate (CPI/HICP)

Headline inflation: the year-over-year percentage change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the standard measure central banks target.

Monthly %YoY Starts 2010-01-31
Country page Country list

Inflation MoM

Month-over-month change in the consumer price index, measuring short-term inflationary momentum.

Monthly %MoM Starts 2010-01-31
Country page Country list

Producer Price Index (PPI)

Measures the average change over time in the selling prices received by domestic producers for their output.

Monthly %YoY Starts 2010-01-31
Country page Country list

Retail Sales

Measures change in the total value of sales at the retail level.

Monthly %YoY Starts 2010-01-31
Country page Country list

Trade Balance

The difference between the value of a country's exports and imports.

Monthly GBP mn Starts 2010-03-31
Country page Country list

Trade-Weighted Index (NEER)

Nominal Effective Exchange Rate (NEER) measuring the value of a currency relative to a basket of trading partners' currencies, weighted by trade volumes. Published monthly by the BIS.

Monthly Index (2020=100) Starts 2010-01-31
Country page Country list
Labor Market 5 pages

Full-Time Employment

Number of persons employed full-time.

Monthly Persons Starts 2010-01-31
Country page Country list

Part-Time Employment

Number of persons employed part-time.

Monthly Persons Starts 2010-01-31
Country page Country list

Labor Force Participation Rate

Ratio of the labor force to the working-age population.

Monthly % Starts 2010-01-31
Country page Country list

Unemployment Rate

Percentage of the labor force that is unemployed.

Monthly % Starts 2010-01-31
Country page Country list
Money & Credit 4 pages

Broad Money (M3)

Total money supply including cash, deposits and other liquid assets.

Monthly GBP bn Starts 2000-01-31
Country page Country list

Narrow Money (M1)

Currency in circulation + transaction deposits. RBNZ column A.

Monthly GBP mn Starts 2010-03-31
Country page Country list

M2 Money Supply

M1 + savings deposits (on-call). RBNZ derived: column A + B1.

Monthly GBP mn Starts 2010-01-31
Country page Country list

Broad Money (M3)

M1 + savings + term deposits. RBNZ column A+B (broadest aggregate).

Monthly GBP mn Starts 2010-01-31
Country page Country list
Monetary Policy 2 pages

Central Bank Policy Rate

Primary interest rate set by the Central Bank.

~8x/year % Starts 2010-01-04
Country page Country list
Government Bond Yields 6 pages
Additional Indicators 3 pages

Tracked United Kingdom data catalogue

Coverage families already represented in the FXMacroData catalogue, including pages whose detailed docs are still pending.

Economy 13 tracked

Business Confidence

Survey-based measure of business executives' outlook on economic conditions, production, and investment plans.

Tracked in catalogue Monthly ONS Starts HTTP 404
Compare countries

Consumer Confidence

Survey-based measure of consumers' confidence in economic conditions, employment prospects, and personal finances.

Published page Monthly ONS Starts HTTP 404
Country page Compare countries

Current Account Balance

Measures trade in goods and services and income flows.

Published page Quarterly ONS Starts 2018-03-31
Country page Compare countries

Exports of Goods & Services

Total exports reported by ABS (AUD millions), quarterly based on national accounts.

Published page Monthly ONS Starts 2010-03-31
Country page Compare countries

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Growth

GDP growth: the quarterly change in the inflation-adjusted value of all goods and services produced in the economy.

Published page Quarterly ONS Starts 2010-03-31
Country page Compare countries

Imports of Goods & Services

Total imports reported by ABS (AUD millions), quarterly based on national accounts.

Published page Monthly ONS Starts 2010-03-31
Country page Compare countries

Inflation Rate (CPI/HICP)

Headline inflation: the year-over-year percentage change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the standard measure central banks target.

Published page Monthly ONS Starts 2010-01-31
Country page Compare countries

Inflation MoM

Month-over-month change in the consumer price index, measuring short-term inflationary momentum.

Published page Monthly ONS Starts 2010-01-31
Country page Compare countries

Producer Price Index (PPI)

Measures the average change over time in the selling prices received by domestic producers for their output.

Published page Monthly ONS Starts 2010-01-31
Country page Compare countries

Retail Sales

Measures change in the total value of sales at the retail level.

Published page Monthly ONS Starts 2010-01-31
Country page Compare countries

Trade Balance

The difference between the value of a country's exports and imports.

Published page Monthly ONS Starts 2010-03-31
Country page Compare countries

Trade-Weighted Index (NEER)

Nominal Effective Exchange Rate (NEER) measuring the value of a currency relative to a basket of trading partners' currencies, weighted by trade volumes. Published monthly by the BIS.

Published page Monthly Bank of England Starts 2010-01-31
Country page Compare countries
Labor Market 6 tracked

Labor Force Participation Rate

Ratio of the labor force to the working-age population.

Published page Monthly ONS Starts 2010-01-31
Country page Compare countries

Unemployment Rate

Percentage of the labor force that is unemployed.

Published page Monthly ONS Starts 2010-01-31
Country page Compare countries

Average Weekly Earnings / Wages

Measures nominal wage growth.

Tracked in catalogue Monthly ONS Starts pending
Compare countries
Money & Credit 4 tracked

Broad Money (M3)

Total money supply including cash, deposits and other liquid assets.

Published page Monthly Bank of England Starts 2000-01-31
Country page Compare countries

Narrow Money (M1)

Currency in circulation + transaction deposits. RBNZ column A.

Published page Monthly Bank of England Starts 2010-03-31
Country page Compare countries

M2 Money Supply

M1 + savings deposits (on-call). RBNZ derived: column A + B1.

Published page Monthly Bank of England Starts 2010-01-31
Country page Compare countries

Broad Money (M3)

M1 + savings + term deposits. RBNZ column A+B (broadest aggregate).

Published page Monthly Bank of England Starts 2010-01-31
Country page Compare countries
Monetary Policy 5 tracked

Central Bank Total Assets

Total assets on the central bank's balance sheet, reflecting the scale of monetary policy operations including quantitative easing programs.

Tracked in catalogue Weekly Bank of England Starts pending
Compare countries

Foreign Exchange Reserves

Assets held by the central bank in foreign currencies, used to support the exchange rate and manage monetary policy. Key indicator of a country's external financial position.

Tracked in catalogue Monthly Bank of England Starts pending
Compare countries

Gold Reserves

Quantity of gold held by the central bank as part of its foreign exchange reserves, measured in value terms.

Tracked in catalogue Monthly Bank of England Starts pending
Compare countries

Central Bank Policy Rate

Primary interest rate set by the Central Bank.

Published page ~8x/year Bank of England Starts 2010-01-04
Country page Compare countries
Government Bond Yields 6 tracked
Additional Indicators 4 tracked

House Prices

Indicator validated by integration tests.

Tracked in catalogue Monthly ONS Starts pending
Compare countries

GBP market drivers

Evergreen macro forces to keep beside the country data table.

Driver 1

Bank of England Bank Rate decisions and MPC vote splits — a hawkish majority (more votes for hikes than cuts) typically supports sterling; a dovish tilt weighs on it.

Driver 2

UK CPI and services CPI — services inflation is the stickiest domestic price component and the one the MPC monitors most closely when gauging whether underlying price pressures are cooling.

Driver 3

UK wage growth (ONS Average Earnings) — strong earnings raise the risk of second-round inflation, typically supporting a tighter Bank Rate path and a firmer pound.

Driver 4

Gilt yields and spreads — 10-year gilt yields relative to German Bunds and US Treasuries are a real-time signal of the rate differential that anchors GBP/USD and EUR/GBP direction.

Driver 5

UK labour-market data: payrolled employees, unemployment rate, claimant count, and ONS earnings — together the most comprehensive monthly picture of labour-market slack and cost pressures.

Driver 6

UK GDP — monthly GDP surprises and quarterly growth rates shape expectations for the Bank Rate path and the broader UK growth narrative.

GBP questions traders ask

Currency-specific context that helps interpret the country data before moving into endpoints or dashboards.

What is the difference between GBP, sterling and the pound?

GBP is the ISO 4217 currency code used in trading systems and settlement. 'Pound sterling' is the full official name of the currency. 'Pound' or the £ symbol is the everyday term used in the UK. All three refer to exactly the same currency issued by the Bank of England.

How often does the Bank of England change interest rates?

The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee holds eight scheduled meetings per year, roughly every six weeks. Bank Rate can be held, raised, or cut at any meeting based on the inflation outlook, labour-market tightness, and economic growth. The decision and the nine members' individual votes are published simultaneously at 12:00 GMT on the decision day.

What does 'cable' mean in FX?

'Cable' is the FX market's nickname for the GBP/USD currency pair. The term dates to the mid-19th century, when sterling-dollar exchange rates were transmitted between London and New York via a transatlantic telegraph cable laid under the Atlantic Ocean. Today it remains the standard shorthand for GBP/USD among traders and on trading desks globally.

Is the pound sterling a safe haven currency?

No — sterling is generally not considered a safe haven. Unlike the Swiss franc, Japanese yen, or US dollar, GBP tends to weaken during global risk-off episodes because the UK runs a structural current account deficit and relies on steady foreign capital inflows. When global risk appetite deteriorates, those inflows slow and sterling comes under pressure. GBP is better characterised as a partial risk-on currency: it tends to outperform in calm, carry-friendly environments and underperform in episodes of acute financial stress.

Why does UK wage growth matter for the GBP exchange rate?

UK wage growth is one of the most closely watched variables by the Bank of England because it feeds directly into services inflation — the stickiest component of the UK consumer price basket. When earnings rise faster than productivity, businesses pass higher labour costs into prices, making it harder for CPI to return to the 2% target. This tends to keep Bank Rate higher for longer, which supports gilt yields and, in turn, sterling. Conversely, a sharp cooling in wage growth signals easing domestic price pressures and typically brings forward rate-cut expectations, weighing on GBP.

What is a Bank of England Monetary Policy Report?

The Monetary Policy Report (MPR), published four times a year in February, May, August, and November, is the Bank of England's main communication on its economic outlook. It sets out the MPC's central projections — shown as fan charts — for CPI inflation, GDP growth, and unemployment over a two-to-three-year horizon, conditioned on market-implied interest rates. The Governor presents the report at a press conference, making MPR meetings the highest-impact events in the Bank's calendar for sterling traders.

Explore other countries

Move laterally into another country hub while keeping the same indicator-first structure.

Argentina (ARS) Australia (AUD) Bolivia (BOB) Brazil (BRL) Canada (CAD) Chile (CLP) China (CNY) Colombia (COP) Czechia (CZK) Denmark (DKK) Eurozone (EUR) Hong Kong (HKD) Hungary (HUF) Iceland (ISK) India (INR) Indonesia (IDR)