Yesterday, the pair formed several good signals to enter the market. Let's analyze what happened on the 5-minute chart. In my morning review, I mentioned the level of 1.2726 as a possible entry point. A breakout and subsequent retest of this range generated a great sell signal, resulting in a 35-pip drop. A similar scenario with 1.2689, following weak PMI reports, produced a sell signal and the pair fell by 40 pips. During the US session, protecting the monthly low around 1.2627 and weak US reports generated a great buy signal. As a result, the pair rose by 50 pips. Selling from 1.2679 turned out to be a failure, but a breakout and a downward retest of 1.2679 was another buy signal, making it possible to gain 40 more pips.
For long positions on GBP/USD:
Today brings some mid-tier data from the Confederation of British Industry, which is unlikely to have a significant impact on market volatility, so I expect the pair to remain under pressure. For this reason, I am not in a hurry to open long positions: only after a false breakout near the new support level at 1.2706, formed at the end of yesterday, will generate buy signal in hopes of updating the nearest resistance at 1.2733, also formed at the end of yesterday's European session. A breakout and consolidation above this range will reinforce the pound sterling, allowing it to reach the 1.2761 high. The ultimate target remains the area of 1.2797 where I will be locking in profits. If GBP/USD declines and there is no buying activity at 1.2706, the pound will be under pressure, but will continue to trade within the sideways channel. In this case, only the defense of the 1.2679 area and its false breakout would give a signal for opening long positions. I will open long positions immediately on a rebound from the monthly low of 1.2646, keeping in mind a daily correction of 30-35 pips.
For short positions on GBP/USD:
The sellers lost all their advantage yesterday and now they need to start from scratch. Only an unsuccessful consolidation at 1.2733 after UK data will produce a sell signal with a prospect of falling to the intermediate support level at 1.2706, which was formed yesterday. A breakout of this level and its upward retest would significantly dent the bulls' positions, offering a chance for a more substantial decline towards the low of 1.2679. The ultimate target is the low at 1.2646 where I will be locking in profits. In this case, buyers can try to build the lower band of the new ascending channel. If GBP/USD moves upward during the European session and lacks bearish activity at 1.2733, which is possible given how aggressive the buyers were even after such a large sell-off yesterday, only a false breakout near the next resistance at 1.2761 would provide an entry point for going short. If there is no downward movement there, I would sell the pound right on a rebound from 1.2797, keeping in mind an intraday correction of 30-35 pips.
COT report:
The Commitments of Traders (COT) report for August 15 recorded an increase in both long and short positions. Traders built up positions after the UK GDP report, which was better than economists' expectations. US inflation cooling also had an impact on the balance of power, supporting the pound, as well as persistent core pressure in the UK. Federal Reserve officials will hold their annual Jackson Hole symposium later this week, which could lead to even more strengthening of the British Pound in the short term. The focus will be on Fed Chair Jerome Powell's speech about US monetary policy. As before, the optimal strategy is to buy the pound on dips, as the difference in the policies of the central banks will affect the prospects of the US dollar, putting pressure on it. The latest COT report indicates that long positions of the non-commercial group of traders rose by 7,302 to 90,541, while short positions jumped by 3,334 to 39,553. As a result, the spread between long and short positions narrowed by 607. The weekly closing price dropped to 1.2708 compared to the prior value of 1.2749.
Indicator signals:
Moving Averages
Trading is taking place around the 30-day and 50-day moving averages, indicating a sideways market trend.
Please note that the time period and levels of the moving averages are analyzed only for the H1 chart, which differs from the general definition of the classic daily moving averages on the D1 chart.
Bollinger Bands
If GBP/USD falls, the indicator's lower border near 1.2646 will serve as support.
Description of indicators:
• A moving average of a 50-day period determines the current trend by smoothing volatility and noise; marked in yellow on the chart;
• A moving average of a 30-day period determines the current trend by smoothing volatility and noise; marked in green on the chart;
• MACD Indicator (Moving Average Convergence/Divergence) Fast EMA with a 12-day period; Slow EMA with a 26-day period. SMA with a 9-day period;
• Bollinger Bands: 20-day period;
• Non-commercial traders are speculators such as individual traders, hedge funds, and large institutions who use the futures market for speculative purposes and meet certain requirements;
• Long non-commercial positions represent the total number of long positions opened by non-commercial traders;
• Short non-commercial positions represent the total number of short positions opened by non-commercial traders;
• The non-commercial net position is the difference between short and long positions of non-commercial traders.