Euro to Pound Forecast: EURGBP Dips to 0.85 as BoE Cut Priced in

May 7, 2025 - Written by Frank Davies

STORY LINK Euro to Pound Forecast: EURGBP Dips to 0.85 as BoE Cut Priced in

The Pound to Euro exchange rate has stabilised and has already priced in a likely rate cut from the Bank of England.

UK-EU negotiations on trade and other issues is seen as a positive.

The euro may be overvalued as it made strong gains even when the ECB were cutting rates aggressively.

Sterling has managed to make slight gains against the euro in recent weeks as the EUR/GBP exchange rate has faded from above 0.87 in mid-April, back to 0.85 support. This move was partially unwinding the strong gains the euro made in early April when market volatility spiked and it acted as a safe haven. However, there have been other factors driving the move, with positives for the pound and negatives for the euro both playing a part.

A Positive Background for Sterling

The BoE are very likely to cut this week, but this would only take rates in the UK down from 4.5% to 4.25%, considerably higher than the 2.4% offered by the ECB. Importantly, this cut is a measured step towards normalization of rates and is not driven by fears over unemployment or economic weakness. More cuts are likely to follow, but there is no expectation of aggressive cuts in the near-term.

“...Thursday should see the Bank of England cutting rates by 25bp. This is widely expected by consensus and fully priced into the Sonia curve. As discussed in our economist’s preview, we expect an 8-1 vote split (one vote for a 50bp cut) and no changes in forward guidance (future cuts to be “gradual and careful”),” noted ING on Tuesday.


This is a healthy backdrop for the pound, and quite different to the situation in the EU where the ECB is in a hurry to get to neutral rates below 2%.

While there have been concerns abouts cuts to government spending and a slowing economy, the UK has managed to sidestep most of the proposed tariffs from the US and is likely to strike a deal on 10% tariffs, the lowest possible under Trump’s current recommendations. Meanwhile, the UK and EU are negotiating a reset of their post-Brexit relationship, with a key summit scheduled for May 19, 2025. The talks will aim to reduce trade barriers, boost economic growth, and enhance cooperation on security, defence, and other areas, while navigating geopolitical challenges like U.S. tariffs under President Trump. A draft agreement emphasizes a “new strategic partnership” based on “free and open trade” and global economic stability.

This could be positive for the UK economy, but there are a number of potential hurdles. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has already set red lines: no return to the single market, customs union, or freedom of movement. However, the EU demands concessions, particularly on fishing and youth mobility, which some EU states like Poland see as non-negotiable. The talks are complicated by simultaneous UK efforts to secure a U.S. trade deal, with concerns that closer EU alignment could provoke U.S. tariffs.

Euro Could be Overvalued

The Euro-Dollar conversion rallied from a 2025 low of 1.01 to a high of 1.15 in a short space of time while EURGBP rallied from 0.82 to above 0.87. Considering this came during an aggressive rate cutting cycle from the ECB, the risk is that the euro has gone too far too fast and is relatively overvalued based on rate differentials.

It’s not as if the backdrop is rosy for the euro – tariffs are likely to weigh on an already fragile and stagnant economy. Indeed, the euro’s rally was not due to improving data and came in the wake of the German election and subsequent spending plans, both from Germany and other member states vowing to boost military spending. This should offer a bump to the economy, but the optimism may have been overdone. EURGBP at 0.85 looks around fair value for now.

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TAGS: Euro Pound Forecasts