EUR/GBP flat lines above mid-0.8300s, remains confined in a multi-day-old range

• EUR/GBP struggles for a firm near-term direction as traders keenly await the ECB on Thursday. 
• The ECB is expected to lower interest rates again amid easing inflation and economic slowdown.
• Bets for an aggressive BoE policy easing undermine the GBP and act as a headwind for the cross. 

The EUR/GBP cross extends its sideways consolidative price move through the first half of the European session on Monday and remains confined in a familiar range held over the past week or so. Spot prices currently trade around the 0.8365 region, nearly unchanged for the day as traders opt to wait on the sidelines ahead of the key central bank event risk later this week. 

The European Central Bank (ECB) is scheduled to announce its policy decision on Thursday and is expected to cut interest rates again for the third time this easing cycle amid mounting concerns over sluggish growth. Furthermore, inflation in the Eurozone fell below the ECB’s 2% target for the first time since 2021 and backs the case for further policy easing. This, in turn, undermines the shared currency and turns out to be a key factor acting as a headwind for the EUR/GBP cross. 

Meanwhile, the Bank of England (BoE) Governor Andrew Bailey recently hinted that the central bank could cut interest rates more aggressively if there’s further good news on inflation. The comments fueled speculation that the BoE might be headed towards speeding up its rate-cutting cycle and hold back traders from placing bullish bets around the British Pound (GBP). This, to a larger extent, offsets the negative factor and offers some support to the EUR/GBP cross.

The aforementioned mixed fundamental backdrop supports prospects for an extension of the subdued range price action in the absence of any relevant market-moving economic releases, either from the Eurozone or the UK. Hence, it will be prudent to wait for a sustained move in either direction before positioning for a firm near-term trajectory.