GBPUSD fades bounce off 21-SMA, UK inflation, US inflation eyed

GBPUSD snaps a two-day winning streak with mild losses around 1.2270 as traders await the UK employment and the US inflation data on early Tuesday. In doing so, the Cable pair fades bounce off the 21-day SMA. However, the absence of an overbought RSI (14) line, bullish MACD signals and the quote’s defense of the early-month resistance breakout keeps the buyers hopeful. With this, the tops marked in October around 1.2290 and the monthly high of near 1.2340 could lure the Pound Sterling bulls during a fresh run-up. However, the 200-day SMA level surrounding 1.2440 appears a tough nut to crack for the bulls, a break of which won’t hesitate to direct the prices toward the August month’s swing low of around 1.2550.

It’s worth noting, however, that the fundamentals are against the bullish technical signals considering the UK’s economic weakness vis-à-vis the US. Even so, the 21-day SMA and the previous resistance line, respectively near 1.2200 and 2120, restrict the short-term downside of the GBPUSD pair. In a case where the Pound Sterling bears dominate past 1.2120, a five-week-old horizontal support near 1.2070, the previous monthly low of near 1.2035 and the 1.2000 psychological magnet could test the sellers before giving them full control.

Overall, the GBPUSD pair is likely to edge higher unless the scheduled data posts too disappointing numbers.