british pound

A graph showing the value of the British pound against the US dollar (2000- Oct 2022)

The Graphic Truth: The tumbling British pound

UK Prime Minister Liz Truss’s recent attempt to stimulate the country’s inflation-ridden economy by pushing for massive tax cuts has sent the markets into a tailspin and caused the British pound to plummet in value against the US dollar. But even before this episode – and the government’s subsequent policy U-turn – sterling had been steadily declining amid the Brexit fallout. It also doesn’t help that the US dollar is at its strongest level in years. We take a look at the value of the British pound against the greenback since 2000.

Graphic Truth: The US dollar is strong - though the Russian ruble has risen in value more in 2022 through the end of September

The Graphic Truth: The strong greenback

Developed and emerging economies alike have seen the value of their currencies plummet in recent months due to the economic reverberations of the ongoing war in Ukraine. Food and fuel shortages have put upward pressure on prices, and inflation has soared to record highs in some places. While inflationary pressures are surely being felt in the US, the greenback has reached a two-decade high compared to other major currencies. This is in part because the US Federal Reserve’s measures to curb inflation have boosted investor confidence. However, a strong US dollar can have painful consequences for other states, particularly import-reliant ones, because most global commodities are priced in US dollars. We take a look at the value of currencies used in the world’s largest economies compared to the US dollar before and after Russia invaded Ukraine.