The single European currency rose against the dollar on Friday, while the pound sterling moved up and down during negotiations on the post-Brexit trade relationship between the EU and the United Kingdom.

Around 19:00 GMT (21:00 in Paris), the euro advanced by 0.09% against the greenback, to 1.1718 dollars.

At the same time, the pound, which had gained ground against the euro earlier in the day, fell 0.06% against the European currency at 90.64 pence per euro.

Against the greenback, the pound rose 0.14% to 1.2927 dollars.

These sudden movements, but of a moderate magnitude, followed Boris Johnson's statement on British television that the United Kingdom “should prepare” for a failure of the post-Brexit trade negotiations except for “fundamental change” in the approach of the 27.

“The back and forth between the EU and the UK on the trade agreement is continuing. Around 7 am here in the eastern United States, British Prime Minister Johnson said that “the EU had given up on the idea of a free trade agreement.” And 40 minutes later, the President of the European Commission tweeted that she was going to London next week to negotiate: the pound has swung,” commented Mike Schumacher, from

The United Kingdom “wants to take the lead in the negotiations and hopes that disagreements will open up between the member states (Germany and France in particular) and that the EU will finally accept what it proposes,” commented Neil Wilson, an analyst at Markets.com.

According to him, “it was foreseeable before these declarations that the UK and the EU would continue to discuss and work to reach an agreement. Boris wants to speak firmly but it's mostly for crowds. The situation remains unchanged, both parties are continuing to work on an agreement.

Against the dollar, the British currency is still much closer to its annual high reached in early September, nearly $1.35, than to its mid-March low, under $1.15.

A voice that counts on the markets, the President of the European Central Bank (ECB) Christine Lagarde also estimated on Thursday that an agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union sealing their post-Brexit relations would eventually be concluded due to the considerable stakes for both parties.

Forex traders were also watching closely the evolution of the Covid-19 pandemic around the world, which this week “played in favor of the American dollar”, a designated safe haven, said Derek Halpenny, from MUFG.

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19:00 GMT 21:00 GMT

EUR/USD 1.1718 1.708

EUR/JPY 123.51 123.45

EUR/CHF 1,0726 1,0708

EUR/GBP 0.9064 0.9069

USD/JPY 105.40 105.45

USD/CHF 0.9154 0.9146

GBP/USD 1.2927 1.2909