At 2.00 am ET Friday, the Office for National Statistics publishes UK retail and government borrowing figures for April. Economists forecast retail sales including auto fuel to decline 16 percent on a monthly basis after easing 5.1 percent in March.

Ahead of the data, the pound traded mixed against its major counterparts. While the currency dropped against the yen and the greenback, it held steady against the franc. Against the euro, it rose.

The pound was worth 1.2217 against the greenback, 131.30 against the yen, 0.8943 against the euro and 1.1866 against the franc at 1:55 am ET.

Sterling vs Yen (FX:GBPJPY)
Forex Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024 Click Here for more Sterling vs Yen Charts.
Sterling vs Yen (FX:GBPJPY)
Forex Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024 Click Here for more Sterling vs Yen Charts.