Research & Analysis

Monthly Outlook: November 2026

Financial Market Performance | Global Economic Indicators Update | FX Commentary and Range Forecasts | Calendar of Key Market Events

Oku Markets

Market Tone

Energy-driven inflation and fiscal anxiety dominated October, as the Middle East conflict lifted crude more than 15%, forcing central banks to weigh further tightening. Iranian attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz sustained a geopolitical premium, though reports of renewed negotiations steadied sentiment late in the month.

Sterling gained against the dollar, supported by firm domestic data and a Budget that markets received calmly, whilst it reached 17-month highs against the plunging euro.

The euro slid as French politics and a contracting economy weighed on sentiment. The dollar drew support from hot inflation, with US CPI at 3.7%, though the Federal Reserve held at 3.75–4% and left a December hike likely. Bond markets recovered somewhat: the US ten-year yield finished at 4.94%, having touched 5.31%.

Equities were mixed, while Gold continued its losing streak on the back of higher yields. Inflation data and the December policy meetings will determine the month ahead.

Stock Indexes

Stock Indexes
Stock IndexesEOM Price1M %ChgYTD %Chg1M High1M LowYTD HighYTD Low
S&P 5007,580-0.93%10.73%7,8457,5287,8456,317
Dow Jones51,7701.70%7.71%52,92850,54854,74445,057
Nasdaq25,437-5.30%9.44%27,72125,17727,72120,690
FTSE 10010,013-6.19%0.72%10,9209,99410,9209,912
DAX25,8182.46%5.42%26,10624,79326,61921,864
Nikkei 22563,290-5.19%25.73%70,79961,46372,83250,559
Hang Seng23,294-5.36%-9.11%24,61322,80428,05622,518

Commodities

Commodities
CommoditiesEOM Price1M %ChgYTD %Chg1M High1M LowYTD HighYTD Low
Brent Crude113.4015.68%86.39%116.58100.12118.1459.96
WTI Crude104.0615.14%81.29%104.0688.22112.8555.99
Gold3,876-6.77%-10.40%4,2253,8705,5953,870
Silver49.12-18.67%-31.26%62.0848.87121.6048.87
Bitcoin76,772-8.24%-12.41%87,24976,14197,76457,718

Bonds

Bonds
BondsEOM Price1M %ChgYTD %Chg1M High1M LowYTD HighYTD Low
US 3-Month4.16%-0.95%13.35%4.28%4.16%4.28%3.62%
US 2-Year4.56%-6.56%31.41%4.84%4.56%4.92%3.38%
US 10-Year4.94%-6.62%18.18%5.31%4.94%5.31%3.97%
UK 10-Year5.29%-2.33%18.28%5.49%5.29%5.49%4.29%
Germany 10-Year3.32%-7.25%16.14%3.53%3.32%3.63%2.64%
Japan 10-Year2.77%-9.30%34.09%3.13%2.77%3.13%2.06%

Key Data

Currency Performance

Currency Performance
EOM Price5D (%)1M (%)YTD (%)1Y (%)1M High1M Low1Y High1Y Low20 DMA100 DMA14D Vol (%)
GBPUSD1.33900.11%0.95%-0.43%1.82%1.34341.31371.38671.30101.33021.33875.09%
GBPEUR1.20000.50%2.50%4.69%5.53%1.20161.16991.20161.12781.18791.17122.10%
EURUSD1.1159-0.39%-1.51%-4.89%-3.51%1.13371.11051.20811.11051.11981.14324.65%
GBPCHF1.10470.11%-0.35%3.52%4.74%1.11051.08911.11051.02931.10181.09133.47%
GBPAUD1.90410.15%-0.30%-5.56%-5.09%1.92281.88592.04731.85401.90211.90367.86%
GBPNZD2.37801.33%0.99%1.73%3.83%2.48152.33572.48152.24012.35872.32325.99%
GBPCNY8.9200-0.10%0.30%-5.22%-4.62%8.95508.797010.84808.79708.89209.01504.97%
GBPJPY210.970.55%1.04%0.01%4.08%211.99207.61219.61199.07210.07213.155.15%
GBPCAD1.8710-0.11%-0.89%1.38%1.73%1.89261.86081.90441.80211.87881.88033.35%

Economic Indicators

Economic Indicators
GDP GrowthInterest RateInflation RateJobless RateDebt/GDP
United States3.40%4.00%3.70%4.20%123.00%
China1.20%3.00%0.90%5.20%99.20%
Euro Area0.40%2.65%3.80%6.50%87.70%
Japan0.40%1.25%2.10%2.40%249.00%
Germany0.20%0.00%2.80%6.40%62.80%
United Kingdom0.50%3.75%3.50%4.70%94.30%
India1.80%5.50%5.54%5.00%81.85%
Canada0.80%2.50%3.10%6.50%114.00%
Australia0.40%4.60%4.30%4.70%18.80%
Switzerland1.50%0.00%1.00%3.00%14.80%

Chart of The Month

US Inflation Surged Amid Energy Shock

  • Annual US inflation rose to 3.7% in September 2026, exceeding the 3.6% forecast and driven largely by a 34.2% yearly surge in petrol prices linked to the Iran war.
  • Monthly consumer prices climbed 0.6%, the sharpest rise in five months, with petrol accounting for over half that increase, reflecting renewed Middle Eastern tensions pushing fuel costs higher.
  • Core inflation, excluding food and energy, also surprised to the upside, rising to 2.6% from 2.4%, with broad price pressures spreading into cars, airfares, education, and housing.
  • The data has increased bets on further Federal Reserve rate rises, with real wages falling for a sixth consecutive month and household affordability worsening ahead of November's midterm elections.
Line chart of US annual inflation from January 2019 to late 2026, all items and 'core' inflation. All items peaks near 9% in 2022, falls to around 2.5–3% in 2024–25, then rises to about 3.7% in 2026; core is lower at about 2.5%. A shaded band marks shutdown-affected data in late 2025.

Currency Snapshot

GBP/USD

Sterling Shrugs Off the Budget

Sterling spent the month pinned in the mid-$1.32s vs the dollar, dipping on hot US inflation before breaking above $1.34 on hot UK inflation, and then shrugging off a Budget that markets met with indifference. A collapse in consumer confidence tempered the mood, but the pound ended October on the front foot.

GBP/USD chart, September to early November 2026: a fall from around 1.365 in September to lows near 1.314 in October, recovering to about 1.339 by November.

GBP/EUR

17-Month Highs

GBPEUR climbed more than 3% across five straight weeks of gains to brush €1.20 for the first time since early 2025, a level that felt unfathomable only a month earlier. The catalysts were hawkish BoE pricing and a single currency weighed down by France.

GBP/EUR chart, September to early November 2026: flat near 1.165 in September, then a steady climb through October to a high of about 1.201.

EUR/USD

The France Effect

The euro spent October flitting around $1.12, repeatedly recapturing the level and then surrendering it as French yields crossed 5% and eurozone data disappointed. A hold from the ECB at 2.5% and a contracting French economy underlined the single currency's losses.

EUR/USD chart, September to early November 2026: a decline from around 1.168 in September to a low near 1.110 at the end of October.

Projected Ranges

Projected Ranges
Expected LowExpected HighExtreme LowExtreme High
GBP/USD1.31121.36701.29471.3835
GBP/EUR1.18831.21111.18151.2179
EUR/USD1.09341.13821.08021.1514
GBP/CHF1.08771.12191.07761.1320
GBP/CAD1.84391.89831.82791.9143
GBP/AUD1.84841.95801.81621.9902

Price forecasts show the furthest each currency pair could move in a single direction — either up or down — from spot, based on historical volatilities and expected returns across a 21-day period. The Base forecast (68%) covers the most likely moves; the Wide forecast (95%) covers more extreme scenarios. These are statistical estimates and do not reflect opinion or anticipated events. The projections are intramonth ranges, not terminal (period-end) rates.

Last Month's Performance

October was the third month we've run our updated range projection model, which includes the addition of a few extra GBP pairs (GBPCHF, GBPCAD, and GBPAUD). The euro's downturn produced an upside breach of our +1 and +2 standard deviation boundaries for GBPEUR, otherwise our model's expected intramonth high-and -low ranges held for each pair we track.

Monthly Forecast Accuracy (Oct-26): for GBPUSD, GBPEUR, EURUSD, GBPCHF, GBPCAD and GBPAUD, bars show the base (68%) and wide (95%) projected ranges with crosses for the actual market high and low. Only GBPEUR's market high sits above its wide range.

Calendar of Events

United Kingdom

  • 05-Nov – BoE Interest Rate Decision
  • 12-Nov – GDP (m/m)
  • 17-Nov – Unemployment Rate
  • 18-Nov – Inflation Rate
  • 20-Nov – Retail Sales
  • 20-Nov – Consumer Confidence
  • 23-Nov – Services & Manufacturing PMIs

Euro Area & Germany

  • 04-Nov – Euro Area Inflation Rate
  • 13-Nov – Euro Area GDP Growth Rate
  • 17-Nov – Germany ZEW Economic Sentiment
  • 17-Nov – Euro Area ZEW Economic Sentiment
  • 23-Nov – Euro Area Services & Manufacturing PMI
  • 23-Nov – Germany Services & Manufacturing PMI
  • 24-Nov – Ifo Germany Business Climate
  • 25-Nov – Germany GDP Growth Rate
  • 26-Nov – Germany Gfk Consumer Confidence
  • 30-Nov – Germany Inflation Rate
  • 01-Dec – Euro Area Inflation Rate

United States

  • 02-Nov – ISM Services PMI
  • 03-Nov – US Midterm Elections
  • 06-Nov – Non Farm Payrolls
  • 06-Nov – Unemployment Rate
  • 10-Nov – Inflation Rate
  • 17-Nov – Retail Sales
  • 18-Nov – FOMC Minutes
  • 23-Nov – Services & Manufacturing PMI
  • 25-Nov – Durable Goods Orders
  • 25-Nov – Core PCE Price Index
  • 25-Nov – GDP Growth Rate

Market Holidays

Market Holidays
DateCountryHoliday
Mon 02 NovBrazilAll Souls' Day
ColombiaAll Saint's Day
EcuadorAll Saint's Day
MauritiusArrival of Indentured Labourers
MexicoAll Souls' Day
PhilippinesAll Souls' Day
Tue 03 NovEcuadorIndependence Day
JapanCulture Day
Wed 04 NovRussiaUnity Day
Fri 06 NovMoroccoDay of the Green March
Mon 09 NovMalaysiaDeepavali
Tue 10 NovIndiaDiwali-Balipratipada
MongoliaGreat Chinggiss Khaan's birthday
Wed 11 NovBermudaArmistice Day in World War I
PolandIndependence Day
SerbiaArmistice Day in World War I
Fri 13 NovMontenegroBank Holiday
Sun 15 NovPalestinian TerritoryIndependence Day
Mon 16 NovColombiaIndependence Day
MexicoRevolution Day
Tue 17 NovCzech RepublicRevolution Day
Wed 18 NovCroatiaNational Day
MoroccoIndependence Day
OmanNational Day
VenezuelaFeast of Our Lady of the Rosary
Fri 20 NovBrazilBlack Awareness Day
Sun 22 NovLebanonIndependence Day
Mon 23 NovArgentinaNational Sovereignty and Children Day
JapanLabour Thanksgiving Day
Tue 24 NovIndiaGuru Nanak Jayanti
Sri LankaIll Full Moon Poya Day
VietnamCulture Day
Wed 25 NovBosnia-HerzegovinaNational Day
Thu 26 NovMongoliaRepublic Day
United StatesThanksgiving Day
Fri 27 NovMongoliaRepublic Day
United StatesThanksgiving Day - Early close at 13:00
Sat 28 NovMongoliaRepublic Day
Sun 29 NovMongoliaRepublic Day
Mon 30 NovPhilippinesBonifacio Day
RomaniaSt. Andrew's Day

About Oku Markets

Oku Markets is a specialist currency management firm providing payment and trading solutions for businesses and private clients.

Led by seasoned finance professionals, the Oku Markets team comprises qualified and experienced experts, each committed to our mission and underpinning values.

With full coverage of FX instruments, trading capacity in 130+ currencies, and a payments infrastructure trusted by millions of customers, Oku Markets boasts best-in-class currency services.

If you'd like to discuss your currency risk, explore our forecasts in more detail, or understand how Oku Markets can support your FX strategy, please get in touch:
Phone: +44 (0) 203 838 0250
Email: info@okumarkets.com

  • Online Access

    Our secure online trading and payments platforms are available 24 hours a day

  • Currency Accounts

    Multi-currency accounts with unique, own-name IBAN and account details for rapid FX operations

  • Risk Management

    Detailed risk analytics, strategy formulation, policy creation, and performance evaluation

  • FX Capabilities

    Trade spot, swaps, options and forwards in 130+ currencies, and hedge up to five years

  • Trading Terms

    Clients benefit from fixed and transparent pricing, and our strong trading and credit limits

  • Global Payments

    Transfer to and from 200+ countries, with local collection accounts in 20+ countries

Currency Risk, Managed.