Session Recap: GBP outperforms in quiet session

FXstreet.com (Córdoba) - The USD is trading lower on Thursday, but mostly within recent ranges. The main exception is the pound which strengthened sharply after UK July retail sales came in twice as strong as the consensus expected. GBP/USD rose to a fresh 2-month high of 1.5593 while EUR/GBP fell to a 6-week low.

Elsewhere it was relatively quiet session as European traders sat on the sidelines in thin FX volumes with public holidays in much of Europe. EUR/USD has spent most of the session rangebound below the 1.3300 level, while USD/JPY trades virtually unchanged at the 98.00 area.

Main Headlines in Europe:

Bourses in Europe opened lower, EUR on the rise

UK: Annual Retail Sales surprise to the upside in July

European Bonds and Euro in focus

Merkel kicks off election campaign