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| Pound gains as Rishi Sunak leads race to become PM | Pound gains as Rishi Sunak leads race to become PM |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The pound has gained on the dollar as Boris Johnson dropped out of the Tory leadership race, leaving Rishi Sunak as the favourite to become prime minister. | The pound has gained on the dollar as Boris Johnson dropped out of the Tory leadership race, leaving Rishi Sunak as the favourite to become prime minister. |
| On Monday morning, sterling stood around 0.4% higher at $1.134. | |
| Meanwhile, government borrowing costs dropped as the markets opened after the weekend. | |
| Former chancellor Mr Sunak is now the only candidate backed by more than 100 Tory MPs, the level required to take part in the ballot of party members. | Former chancellor Mr Sunak is now the only candidate backed by more than 100 Tory MPs, the level required to take part in the ballot of party members. |
| Mr Johnson, who claimed he had the support of 102 MPs although only 57 MPs did so publicly, dropped out after saying he would be unable to unite his party. | Mr Johnson, who claimed he had the support of 102 MPs although only 57 MPs did so publicly, dropped out after saying he would be unable to unite his party. |
| Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt remains in the race but is some way off securing 100 backers. The deadline is 14:00 on Monday. | |
| Who are Tory MPs backing to be next PM? | Who are Tory MPs backing to be next PM? |
| Rishi Sunak: Former chancellor who lost out last time | Rishi Sunak: Former chancellor who lost out last time |
| Last month, sterling plunged to a record low against the dollar and government borrowing costs rose sharply in the aftermath of outgoing Prime Minister Liz Truss's mini-budget. | |
| Investors were spooked after then-Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng promised major tax cuts without saying how they would be paid for - something Mr Sunak warned about during this summer's Tory leadership contest. | |
| Last week, new Chancellor Jeremy Hunt withdrew almost all of Ms Truss's tax cuts in a bid to stabilise the financial markets but they have remained jittery. | |
| On Friday, the pound fell as low as $1.11 and government borrowing costs rose amid continued political uncertainty and fresh warnings about the UK economy. | |
| On Monday, government borrowing costs fell back following Mr Johnson's decision. | |
| The interest rate - or yield - on bonds due to be repaid in 30 years' time dropped to 3.9%, making government borrowing cheaper. They had hit 5.17% on 28 September after the mini-budget and a subsequent pledge by Mr Kwarteng to announce more tax cuts. | |
| Mr Hunt - who is backing Mr Sunak - is scheduled to set out his economic plan for taxes and spending on 31 October. | |
| Megan Greene, a global chief economist at the Kroll Institute consultancy, told the BBC's Today programme that Mr Sunak's position as the frontrunner "should help" calm the markets. | Megan Greene, a global chief economist at the Kroll Institute consultancy, told the BBC's Today programme that Mr Sunak's position as the frontrunner "should help" calm the markets. |
| "Two weeks ago the UK looked completely un-investable," she said, though she warned investors were "still wary". "The UK has a really tough line to walk," she said. | "Two weeks ago the UK looked completely un-investable," she said, though she warned investors were "still wary". "The UK has a really tough line to walk," she said. |
| "On the one hand it can't provide these budgets that are fiscally irresponsible, or that seem fiscally irresponsible, we've seen what happens with the market then, but equally Rishi Sunak is going to come and probably announce a lot of austerity and he can't go too far on that end either because then the markets will look at that and think the UK is never going to grow. | "On the one hand it can't provide these budgets that are fiscally irresponsible, or that seem fiscally irresponsible, we've seen what happens with the market then, but equally Rishi Sunak is going to come and probably announce a lot of austerity and he can't go too far on that end either because then the markets will look at that and think the UK is never going to grow. |
| "Even without all the political drama, the economic environment in the UK is incredibly difficult." | "Even without all the political drama, the economic environment in the UK is incredibly difficult." |
| Why does a falling pound matter? | Why does a falling pound matter? |
| A fall in the value of the pound increases the price of goods and services imported into the UK from overseas - because when the pound is weak against the dollar or euro, for example, it costs more for companies in the UK to buy things such as food, raw materials or parts from abroad. | A fall in the value of the pound increases the price of goods and services imported into the UK from overseas - because when the pound is weak against the dollar or euro, for example, it costs more for companies in the UK to buy things such as food, raw materials or parts from abroad. |
| If businesses pass on those higher costs to customers, a weaker pound can help push up inflation - the rate at which prices rise. | If businesses pass on those higher costs to customers, a weaker pound can help push up inflation - the rate at which prices rise. |
| Also, for Britons travelling overseas, changes in the pound's value affect how far their money will go abroad. | Also, for Britons travelling overseas, changes in the pound's value affect how far their money will go abroad. |
| Five ways a falling pound could affect you | Five ways a falling pound could affect you |
| Sterling has also been under pressure recently due the strength of the US dollar. | Sterling has also been under pressure recently due the strength of the US dollar. |
| However, the pound's weakness in recent weeks has been most tied to mounting concerns about the outlook for the UK's economy and public finances. | However, the pound's weakness in recent weeks has been most tied to mounting concerns about the outlook for the UK's economy and public finances. |
| The official rate of inflation rose to 10.1% last month and is expected to climb further. | The official rate of inflation rose to 10.1% last month and is expected to climb further. |
| The UK is also borrowing billions of pounds to limit energy bill rises for households and businesses. | The UK is also borrowing billions of pounds to limit energy bill rises for households and businesses. |
| Borrowing - the difference between spending and tax income - was £20bn in September, up £2.2bn from a year earlier, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. | Borrowing - the difference between spending and tax income - was £20bn in September, up £2.2bn from a year earlier, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. |
| It was the second highest September borrowing since monthly records began in 1993. | It was the second highest September borrowing since monthly records began in 1993. |
| The Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank predicted borrowing this year could reach £194bn, almost double the figure previously forecast by The Office For Budget Responsibility (OBR). | The Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank predicted borrowing this year could reach £194bn, almost double the figure previously forecast by The Office For Budget Responsibility (OBR). |