Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak speaking in the House of Commons in London, England, on October 20, 2020.
jessica taylor/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
The pound fell and yields on U.K. government debt rose on Thursday, as Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak announced more support to companies impacted by new coronavirus restrictions, ahead of talks with the European Union on a post-Brexit trade agreement.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak outlined new measures to help companies in regions including Liverpool and Manchester facing tighter restrictions due to rising coronavirus numbers.
Sunak said grants of up to £2100 a month would be provided to companies and that the U.K. would increase its share of support to furloughed employees.
Meanwhile, formal talks between the U.K. and European Union are set to resume on a trade deal.
The pound
GBPUSD,
fell to $1.3104 from $1.3147, and the yield on the U.K. 10-year gilt
TMBMKGB-10Y,
rose 3 basis points to 0.27%. Yields move in the opposite direction to prices.
The FTSE 100
UKX,
meanwhile, inched into positive territory, shaking off early losses.
