Pound and Euro Near Parity
December 29th, 2008Via: BBC:
The pound has hit a new record low against the euro as the grim outlook for the UK economy continues to put downward pressure on the currency.
Weak house price data and figures showing that homeowners are choosing to repay their mortgages rather than spending, pushed the currency lower.
Low trading levels in the foreign exchange markets also helped to force sterling down to 1.029 euros.
Many analysts believe parity with the euro is now only a matter of time.
The rate for tourists buying their currency before they travel has almost reached parity, where one pound buys one euro. At one major High Street currency exchange, 100 euros currently costs £99.11.
Downward pressure
Property consultants Hometrack predicted a 12% fall in UK property prices in 2009, while figures from the Bank of England showed that households were more keen to pay off their mortgages than borrow money against the value of their homes for spending.
