All Shook Up

September 02, 2025
  • UK fiscal jitters rattle currency and bond markets.
  • US August ISM manufacturing index takes the data spotlight.
  • ECB is in a good place. Eurozone inflation remains close to the ECB’s 2% target.

Check-out our Drivers for the Week for a look at what markets are facing this week.

 

US & UK

USD is up across the board, led by a slump in GBP, while UK government bonds (gilt) spearheaded the sell-off in global bonds. Rising long-term gilt yields are trapping the UK’s public finances in a negative spiral ahead of the October Budget.

Investors worry the UK government will prioritize tax hikes over spending cuts in the October Budget to shore up the fiscal position. This is GBP bearish for two reasons: First, the Bank of England (BOE) could step in and purchase gilt to rein-in runaway long-term yields. Second, higher taxes risk deepening the UK’s sluggish growth outlook and add pressure on the BOE to ease more aggressively.

In our view, GBP underperformance will likely be clearer versus EUR than USD. US protectionist trade policy, political interference with the Fed’s independence, and a dovish Fed can further weigh on USD.

US August ISM manufacturing data is today’s focus (3:00pm London, 10:00am New York). The headline index is projected at 49.0 vs. 48.0 in July and the Prices Paid subindex is expected to tick up 0.2pts to 65.0. The combination of sluggish manufacturing activity and rising prices is not USD supportive.

EUROZONE

EUR/USD is down sharply on broad USD strength. EUR/USD should hold above 1.1500. The ECB is in a good place to keep rates on hold as Eurozone inflation remains close to the ECB’s 2% target. In August, headline CPI rose 0.1pts as expected to 2.1% y/y while core CPI printed at 2.3% y/y (consensus: 2.2%) for a fourth consecutive month. Services CPI eased 0.1pts to 3.1%, the lowest since March 2022, but still has some distance to travel to make sure that inflation stabilizes at the target on a sustainable basis.

ECB Executive Board Member Isabel Schnabel delivered hawkish comments. Schnabel stressed “I believe that we may be already mildly accommodative and therefore I do not see a reason for a further rate cut in the current situation.” Further out, Schnabel cautioned that “a more fragmented world with a less elastic global supply, higher fiscal spending and ageing societies is a world with higher inflation. So I think the point where central banks around the world start to hike interest rates again may come earlier than many people currently think.”

Bottom line: EUR/USD uptrend is intact as the ECB is on hold while the Fed is about to resume easing. Nevertheless, political uncertainty in France can further widen 10-year French OAT- German Bund yield spreads and is a near-term headwind for EUR.

Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (“BBH”) may be used as a generic term to reference the company as a whole and/or its various subsidiaries generally. This material and any products or services may be issued or provided in multiple jurisdictions by duly authorized and regulated subsidiaries.This material is for general information and reference purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax or investment advice and is not intended as an offer to sell, or a solicitation to buy securities, services or investment products. Any reference to tax matters is not intended to be used, and may not be used, for purposes of avoiding penalties under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, or other applicable tax regimes, or for promotion, marketing or recommendation to third parties. All information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but accuracy is not guaranteed, and reliance should not be placed on the information presented. This material may not be reproduced, copied or transmitted, or any of the content disclosed to third parties, without the permission of BBH. All trademarks and service marks included are the property of BBH or their respective owners.© Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. 2024. All rights reserved.

As of June 15, 2022 Internet Explorer 11 is not supported by BBH.com.