The British pound strengthened on Thursday after the Bank of England cut interest rates by 0.25 percentage points to 4.25%, with an unexpected split among policymakers where two voted to maintain current rates. Sterling gained 0.24% against the U.S. dollar to $1.33215. The currency was also boosted by news that the U.S. and Britain will announce a trade deal to lower tariffs on some goods, as confirmed by President Trump who described it as a “full and comprehensive” agreement.

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Hormuz, the Fed, and the Battle for Safe-Haven Status
Gold dropped 4% as the dollar claimed the safe-haven trade. With oil surging, the Strait of Hormuz under threat, and the Fed trapped between inflation and a slowdown, here’s what today’s market chaos means — and why the calculus could shift.





