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Crisis what crisis December 14th, 2008 06:00 PM

Pound 'buying less than a Euro'
 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7782234.stm

Page last updated at 15:27 GMT, Sunday, 14 December 2008
E-mail this to a friend Printable version
Pound 'buying less than a Euro'
Euro and pound notes
UK holidaymakers are getting fewer euros for their pounds.

The falling value of sterling means some people are getting less than
a euro for every pound when changing money, The Observer suggests.

After commission and handling fees were charged, customers at some
airports got just 197.13 euros for £200 on Saturday.

Last week sterling fell close to 1.11 euros - but the commercial rate
obtained by tourists is usually lower.

Worries that the UK economy would be among the hardest hit by the
recession have dented the strength of the pound.

In addition, UK interest rates are at their lowest level since 1951,
and are lower than those in the eurozone.

While a euro is worth about 89p now, it was worth 71p at its physical
launch in 2002 (and 57p on foreign currency markets during its all-
time low in 2000).

As the pound has moved close to parity with the euro, some analysts
have raised the possibility of the UK adopting the single European
currency.

Martin Slaney, head of derivatives at GFT Global Markets, said that
the pound may fall further as economic woes continue.

"The 12 month outlook is pretty bleak for the pound," he said.

"The euro is becoming the darling of the currency market and there's
no confidence in the pound and I would not be at all surprised if it
hit parity with the euro and even fell a bit below that."


Pound verses the euro

Q&A: Why the pound is falling
Taxi exports boosted by low pound

Exporter glee

The Conservatives and Liberals Democrats have said that the government
is to blame for the collapse of the pound - saying that a decision to
allow public borrowing to soar in order to fund tax cuts had dented
economic confidence.

Chief secretary to the treasury, Yvette Cooper told the BBC that the
the government was not planning to step in to support the pound,
saying that attempts by previous administrations to target exchange
rates had been unsuccessful.

Instead the government would continue to try to keep inflation under
control and support the economy, she said.

"We have never had a policy of targeting the pound. Our policy has
been to target inflation and that, I think, has been the right way. It
has paid off over the last 10 or 11 years."

The research in The Observer found an exchange rate of 1.0532 euros to
the pound on London's Oxford Street - meaning 18 euros cost £19.61
after a handling fee.

Customers at Travelex counters at Liverpool and Birmingham airports
were getting 197.13 euros for £200. while those at the ICE Bureau at
Luton airport received 199.63 euros for their £200.

Ms Cooper acknowledged that the pound's weakness meant British
tourists were suffering as a result of sterling's weakness.

But she said that the low pound was also good for UK exporters whose
goods become cheaper for customers in the eurozone.

And with trips to the UK becoming cheaper for visitors from Europe,
some firms are hopeful that an increase in tourists will boost
business.

Runge13[_2_] December 14th, 2008 09:53 PM

Virus again
 

"Crisis what crisis" a écrit dans le message de
...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7782234.stm

Page last updated at 15:27 GMT, Sunday, 14 December 2008
E-mail this to a friend Printable version
Pound 'buying less than a Euro'
Euro and pound notes
UK holidaymakers are getting fewer euros for their pounds.

The falling value of sterling means some people are getting less than
a euro for every pound when changing money, The Observer suggests.

After commission and handling fees were charged, customers at some
airports got just 197.13 euros for £200 on Saturday.

Last week sterling fell close to 1.11 euros - but the commercial rate
obtained by tourists is usually lower.

Worries that the UK economy would be among the hardest hit by the
recession have dented the strength of the pound.

In addition, UK interest rates are at their lowest level since 1951,
and are lower than those in the eurozone.

While a euro is worth about 89p now, it was worth 71p at its physical
launch in 2002 (and 57p on foreign currency markets during its all-
time low in 2000).

As the pound has moved close to parity with the euro, some analysts
have raised the possibility of the UK adopting the single European
currency.

Martin Slaney, head of derivatives at GFT Global Markets, said that
the pound may fall further as economic woes continue.

"The 12 month outlook is pretty bleak for the pound," he said.

"The euro is becoming the darling of the currency market and there's
no confidence in the pound and I would not be at all surprised if it
hit parity with the euro and even fell a bit below that."


Pound verses the euro

Q&A: Why the pound is falling
Taxi exports boosted by low pound

Exporter glee

The Conservatives and Liberals Democrats have said that the government
is to blame for the collapse of the pound - saying that a decision to
allow public borrowing to soar in order to fund tax cuts had dented
economic confidence.

Chief secretary to the treasury, Yvette Cooper told the BBC that the
the government was not planning to step in to support the pound,
saying that attempts by previous administrations to target exchange
rates had been unsuccessful.

Instead the government would continue to try to keep inflation under
control and support the economy, she said.

"We have never had a policy of targeting the pound. Our policy has
been to target inflation and that, I think, has been the right way. It
has paid off over the last 10 or 11 years."

The research in The Observer found an exchange rate of 1.0532 euros to
the pound on London's Oxford Street - meaning 18 euros cost £19.61
after a handling fee.

Customers at Travelex counters at Liverpool and Birmingham airports
were getting 197.13 euros for £200. while those at the ICE Bureau at
Luton airport received 199.63 euros for their £200.

Ms Cooper acknowledged that the pound's weakness meant British
tourists were suffering as a result of sterling's weakness.

But she said that the low pound was also good for UK exporters whose
goods become cheaper for customers in the eurozone.

And with trips to the UK becoming cheaper for visitors from Europe,
some firms are hopeful that an increase in tourists will boost
business.


altyfc January 5th, 2009 02:50 PM

On the positive side, this could mean for a bumper year for tourism in the UK.

People aren't attracted to travelling to Europe so much due to increased costs. And meanwhile, Britain is being seen as an inexpensive place to visit by overseas tourists.


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