The British pound traded around $1.349, remaining close to its highest level since July 15, as investors assessed mixed signals surrounding US-Iran negotiations and the prospects for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said an agreement with Oman to establish a shipping route through the strait was “very close,” but ruled out direct talks with the US for now and cautioned that any deal would not immediately restore shipping. In the meantime, last week’s surprise contraction in US employment reduced expectations of a near-term Federal Reserve rate hike. In the UK, the Bank of England left rates unchanged in July, with Governor Andrew Bailey saying disinflation remained on track. UK labour-market data from KPMG and REC showed some improvement, with permanent hiring stabilising and temporary vacancies rising for the first time in two years. However, starting salary growth accelerated to a six-month high, although it remained below its long-term trend.
The GBP/USD exchange rate fell to 1.3505 on August 12, 2026, down 0.02% from the previous session. Over the past month, the British Pound has strengthened 1.17%, but it's down by 0.59% 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 August 12 of 2026.
The GBP/USD exchange rate fell to 1.3505 on August 12, 2026, down 0.02% from the previous session. Over the past month, the British Pound has strengthened 1.17%, but it's down by 0.59% 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.