Major pair · “Cable”
GBP/USD: volatility, trading hours and correlation
The British pound against the US dollar. GBP/USD has averaged 70 pips a day over the last 90 days, with recent volatility close to its one-year norm. It tends to move most between 13:00 and 16:00 UTC.
- Last close
- 1.33276 16 October 2026
- Avg daily range
- 70 pips 90 days · 0.53% of price
- 1-year change
- -0.78% GBP weaker vs USD
- 52-week range
- 1.30098 – 1.38690 Low to high
GBP/USD over the last 12 months
Daily closes
When GBP/USD moves most
Average high-to-low range for each hour of the day over the last year, in pips (UTC). The busiest three-hour window is highlighted. 21:00–23:00 UTC includes the daily rollover, when spreads widen and bid prices dip, so those hours are left out of it.
Want these hours in your own time zone? Open forex market hours. To compare GBP/USD with other pairs, read the most volatile hours in forex.
Average range by weekday
Pips, last 12 months. Wednesday is typically busiest and Tuesday quietest.
Calendar-year performance
% change in GBP/USD each year, latest year to date
GBP/USD seasonality
Average % change by calendar month across the last 9 years. November has been the strongest month on average and September the weakest. Seasonality is a tendency, not a forecast.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg change | +1.08% | -0.71% | +0.05% | +0.30% | -0.41% | -0.16% | +0.18% | -0.42% | -0.72% | +0.10% | +1.10% | +0.89% |
| Years up | 56% | 33% | 44% | 56% | 44% | 56% | 56% | 33% | 44% | 44% | 56% | 78% |
GBP/USD correlation
Correlation of daily returns with other pairs. +1 means they move together, −1 means they move in opposite directions. How to use correlation.
Biggest daily moves in the last year
The five widest high-to-low days for GBP/USD.
| Date | Range | Open to close | × normal day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 March 2026 | 222 pips | +0.92% | 2.7× |
| 19 March 2026 | 221 pips | +1.31% | 2.7× |
| 8 April 2026 | 207 pips | +0.77% | 2.5× |
| 27 January 2026 | 205 pips | +1.23% | 2.5× |
| 15 July 2026 | 183 pips | +1.13% | 2.2× |
GBP/USD pip value
Value of a one-pip move (0.0001) at the latest price.
| Account currency | Standard lot (1.00) | Mini lot (0.10) | Micro lot (0.01) |
|---|---|---|---|
 USD | 10.00 USD | 1.00 USD | 0.100 USD |
 EUR | 8.90 EUR | 0.89 EUR | 0.089 EUR |
 GBP | 7.50 GBP | 0.75 GBP | 0.075 GBP |
About GBP/USD
GBP/USD shows how many US dollars (USD) it takes to buy one British pound (GBP). When the price rises, the British pound is strengthening against the US dollar. Traders often call it “Cable”.
GBP is issued by the Bank of England. It tends to respond to Bank of England rate decisions, UK inflation and wage data, and UK political and fiscal news.
USD is issued by the Federal Reserve. It tends to respond to Federal Reserve rate expectations, US jobs and inflation data, and global risk appetite, since the dollar is the world’s main reserve and funding currency.
With an average range of about 70 pips a day, a stop loss of 21–42 pips is roughly a third to two-thirds of a normal day for GBP/USD. Always size your position from the stop distance with the lot size calculator.
GBP/USD FAQ
What is the average daily range of GBP/USD?
Over the last 90 days GBP/USD moved an average of 70 pips from high to low each day, about 0.53% of its price. Over the past year the average was 81 pips, and over the last 20 trading days it was 75 pips.
What is the best time to trade GBP/USD?
In the past year GBP/USD was most active between 13:00 and 16:00 UTC, and the London session produced the largest average range (62 pips). The quietest hour was 04:00 UTC. Wednesday was its busiest weekday on average.
What is GBP/USD most correlated with?
Based on daily returns over the last year, GBP/USD moved most closely with EUR/USD (correlation 0.84) and most inversely with USD/CHF (-0.73).
How much is one pip worth on GBP/USD?
One pip on GBP/USD is 0.0001 of the price. For one standard lot (100,000 GBP) that is 10 USD, or about $10.00 at the latest price. A mini lot is a tenth of that and a micro lot a hundredth.
Statistics are calculated by ForexSignals.io from Dukascopy hourly bid prices up to the 16 October 2026 close. Trading days run from 17:00 to 17:00 New York time, the same daily candles most MT4 and MT5 brokers show. Hourly figures cover the last 12 months, seasonality the last 9 full years. Data may contain errors and is not a trading recommendation.
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