//
Sterling gained ground on the Forex as a higher-than-expected 0.7 per cent monthly rise was pushed up by electrical sales in the weeks leading up to and during the global tournament, reports Reuters.
Rising 0.4 per cent on the day, the pound gained almost 40 points against the dollar to reach a session high of $1.5283 (£1).
The strong showing contradicts recent weak performance from the UK currency, as it hovered around a seven-week low against the euro and was prey to dollar vacillation following the release of US economic data.
Gilt futures for September also floated, showing gains of 13 ticks to trade 16 ticks up at 121.42, reveals the news agency.
UK Gross Domestic Product figures are expected tomorrow, which may affect the performance of the pound during Friday's trading session.
Posted by Clive Arneil
