This post was originally published on this site
Reuters Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves the European Council after the Brexit-dominated European Union leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium October 18, 2019.
The British pound was nearly steady Friday ahead of Parliament’s knife-edge’s vote on the Brexit deal agreed by U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the European Union.
The pound GBPUSD, -0.0233% traded hands at $1.2873, versus $1.2890 late Thursday.
Analysts at Citi said the vote, scheduled for Saturday, was too close to call. “Compared to the 286 MPs who voted for a deal in March, we think around 313 are lining up to vote for it this time around, 5 short of what we think would be a majority but well within the range of further plausible changes in support,” the analysts said in a note to clients.
Also read: Johnson returns to London to drum up support for Brexit deal
Also read: Hard-line U.K. conservative says Johnson pact could still result in no-deal EU exit
The FTSE 100 UKX, -0.02% weakened 0.03% to 7180.18.
Besides Brexit news, InterContinental Hotels IHG, -3.59% fell 3% as the hotel chain said comparable revenue per available room fell 0.8% in the third quarter. Tougher trading conditions in the U.S. and China, and ongoing unrest in the Hong Kong, weighed on the company.
