How the pound has fallen
Sterling has fallen dramatically against pretty much every other serious currency in the world, says Merryn Somerset Webb. Here’s the evidence.
I mentioned in my editor's letter this week (here for subscribers: Why the pound is so weak) that one of the most overlooked factors affecting the performance of the UK economy in the last five years has been the collapse of our currency against pretty much every other serious currency in the world and the inflation that has caused.
I mentioned a few of the currencies that have soared against sterling - Singapore dollar is up 59%; the Brunei dollar 53%; the Canadian dollar 46%; the New Zealand dollar 43%; the Thai baht 42%; the euro 23%; and the US dollar 21%.
But I think that some of you might be interested to see the full extent of the sterling rout. The third column shows you how much the currency has risen, in percentage terms, against sterling since 17 January 2007.
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Any currencies denoted in red (see the very bottom of the list) have fallen against the pound. There are very few of them and those that there are, are not ones it is really much of a triumph to have outperformed. Think the Syrian pound and the Argentinian peso.
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| Gold | XAU | 237.4 | -0.23 | -0.15 | 6.99 | 4.47 |
| Silver | XAG | 213.86 | -0.24 | -3.07 | 16.9 | 2.48 |
| Palladium | XPD | 130.83 | 0.05 | -5.06 | 6.67 | -4.4 |
| Japanese Yen | JPY | 87.01 | 0 | 0.64 | -2.63 | 1.29 |
| Papua New Guinea Kina | PGK | 79.32 | -0.23 | 0.45 | -3.75 | -2.13 |
| Platinum | XPT | 75.35 | 0.14 | -0.38 | 12.85 | 2.64 |
| Swiss Franc | CHF | 64.77 | 0.06 | 1.08 | 2.58 | -2.25 |
| Australian Dollar | AUD | 59.98 | 0.11 | -0.95 | -3.11 | -2.14 |
| Singapore Dollar | SGD | 53.99 | -0.11 | 1.15 | 0.31 | 1.08 |
| Brunei Dollar | BND | 53.99 | -0.09 | 1.13 | 0.37 | 1.03 |
| Chinese Renminbi | CNY | 51.7 | -0.08 | 1.65 | -1.22 | -0.64 |
| Colombian Peso | COP | 50.87 | -0.23 | 0.61 | -4.09 | -3 |
| Peruvian New Sol | PEN | 50.56 | -0.23 | 1.4 | -1.61 | 1.45 |
| Uruguayan Peso | UYU | 49.37 | -0.23 | 5.55 | 4.83 | -3.98 |
| Laotian Kip | LAK | 49.15 | 0.44 | 0.9 | -2.27 | -0.83 |
| Canadian Dollar | CAD | 45.02 | -0.21 | -0.56 | -0.55 | -1.01 |
| Philippine Peso | PHP | 44.67 | 0.11 | 1.59 | -1.86 | 2.1 |
| Paraguay Guarani | PYG | 43.79 | -0.23 | 0.58 | -4.32 | -3.78 |
| New Zealand Dollar | NZD | 43.79 | 0.04 | -0.56 | -0.84 | -1.94 |
| Slovakian Koruna | SKK | 43.3 | 0.13 | 0.54 | 3.3 | -1.57 |
| West Samoan Tala | WST | 42.34 | -0.34 | -0.48 | -2.32 | -1.86 |
| Thai Baht Onshore | THO | 42.29 | -0.13 | 1.26 | 0.07 | -0.84 |
| Thai Baht | THB | 42.25 | -0.16 | 1.26 | 0.01 | -0.87 |
| Bolivian Boliviano | BOB | 41.14 | -0.23 | 2.09 | -3.06 | -1.39 |
| Malaysian Ringgit | MYR | 40.7 | 0.3 | 1.01 | 1.02 | -0.41 |
| Chilean Peso | CLP | 39.99 | -0.23 | 0.39 | 0.46 | 1.09 |
| Tonga Pa'anga | TOP | 39.43 | -0.33 | -1.48 | -2.84 | -2.75 |
| Norwegian Krone | NOK | 39.08 | 0.01 | 1.61 | 4.26 | 0.39 |
| Czech Koruna | CZK | 38.84 | 0.26 | -0.42 | 5.29 | -1.66 |
| Taiwanese Dollar | TWD | 36.98 | -0.05 | 1.01 | -0.5 | -0.34 |
| NEW IRAQI DINAR | NID | 36.92 | -0.23 | 0.64 | -3.06 | -1.39 |
| Azerbaijani Manat | AZN | 35.8 | -0.25 | 0.61 | -3 | -1.22 |
| Israeli Shekel | ILS | 35.7 | 0.15 | 3.12 | 1.7 | -2.56 |
| Solomon Islands Dollar | SBD | 31.48 | -0.19 | 0.47 | -3.18 | -1.55 |
| Moldovan Leu | MDL | 30.57 | -0.03 | 2.34 | -1.26 | -4.76 |
| Swedish Krona | SEK | 29.76 | -0.05 | 0.28 | 2.28 | 1.19 |
| Mauritian Rupee | MUR | 28.79 | -0.71 | -1.32 | -2.35 | -6.5 |
| Brazilian Real | BRL | 28.01 | -0.23 | 0.56 | -3.63 | -9.76 |
| Costa Rican Colon | CRC | 26.93 | -0.35 | 0.65 | -2.78 | -0.2 |
| IMF Special Drawing Rights | XDR | 26.14 | -0.23 | 0.19 | -0.7 | -1.39 |
| Georgian Lari | GEL | 26 | -0.08 | 0.03 | -3.35 | -2.76 |
| Kuwaiti Dinar | KWD | 25.7 | -0.07 | 0.55 | -2.74 | -2.23 |
| Libyan Dinar | LYD | 25.59 | -0.23 | 1.49 | -0.93 | -1.35 |
| Cambodian Riel | KHR | 23.81 | 0.28 | 1.68 | -0.94 | -1.45 |
| Latvian Lats | LVL | 23.77 | 0.13 | 0.52 | 3.27 | -1.22 |
| Estonian Kroon | EEK | 23.53 | 0.13 | 0.54 | 3.3 | -1.57 |
| Euro | EUR | 23.53 | 0.14 | 0.52 | 3.31 | -1.57 |
| Irish Punt | IEP | 23.53 | 0.13 | 0.55 | 3.3 | -1.56 |
| French Franc | FRF | 23.53 | 0.13 | 0.54 | 3.3 | -1.56 |
| Italian Lira | ITL | 23.53 | 0.13 | 0.54 | 3.3 | -1.57 |
| Austrian Schilling | ATS | 23.53 | 0.13 | 0.54 | 3.3 | -1.57 |
| Andorran Peseta | ADP | 23.53 | 0.13 | 0.54 | 3.3 | -1.57 |
| Spanish Peseta | ESP | 23.53 | 0.13 | 0.54 | 3.3 | -1.57 |
| Belgian Franc | BEF | 23.53 | 0.13 | 0.54 | 3.3 | -1.57 |
| Luxembourg Franc | LUF | 23.53 | 0.13 | 0.54 | 3.3 | -1.57 |
| Greek Drachma | GRD | 23.53 | 0.13 | 0.54 | 3.3 | -1.57 |
| Portuguese Escudo | PTE | 23.53 | 0.13 | 0.54 | 3.3 | -1.57 |
| Finnish Markka | FIM | 23.52 | 0.13 | 0.54 | 3.3 | -1.57 |
| Netherlands (Dutch) Guilder | NLG | 23.52 | 0.13 | 0.54 | 3.3 | -1.57 |
| German Mark | DEM | 23.52 | 0.13 | 0.54 | 3.3 | -1.57 |
| Lithuanian Litas | LTL | 23.51 | 0.13 | 0.52 | 3.3 | -1.58 |
| Bulgarian Lev | BGN | 23.43 | 0.13 | 0.51 | 3.29 | -1.59 |
| Slovenian Tolar | SIT | 23.42 | 0.13 | 0.54 | 3.3 | -1.57 |
| Danish Krone | DKK | 23.42 | 0.13 | 0.46 | 3.05 | -1.84 |
| Bosnia & Herzegovinan Marka | BAM | 23.39 | 0.12 | 0.56 | 3.34 | -1.61 |
| French Polynesian Franc | XPF | 23.31 | 0.13 | 0.56 | 3.34 | -1.6 |
| Cape Verde Escudo | CVE | 23.28 | -0.23 | 0.33 | 4.22 | -2.03 |
| CFA Franc BEAC | XAF | 23.12 | -0.1 | 0.34 | 3.11 | -1.83 |
| Moroccan Dirham | MAD | 23.05 | 0.01 | 0.51 | 2.08 | -1.58 |
| CFA FRANC BCEAO | XOF | 22.89 | -0.28 | 0.15 | 2.92 | -2 |
| Hong Kong Dollar | HKD | 22.81 | -0.24 | 0.64 | -3 | -1.3 |
| Lebanese Pound | LBP | 22.8 | -0.1 | 0.77 | -3.09 | -1.26 |
| Macau Pataca | MOP | 22.79 | -0.24 | 0.64 | -3 | -1.3 |
| Jordanian Dinar | JOD | 22.23 | -0.2 | 0.95 | -2.72 | -1.19 |
| El Salvador Colon | SVC | 22.05 | -0.23 | 0.67 | -3.06 | -1.39 |
| Saudi Riyal | SAR | 22 | -0.23 | 0.64 | -3.06 | -1.38 |
| Qatari Riyal | QAR | 22 | -0.23 | 0.66 | -3.05 | -1.37 |
| Bahraini Dinar | BHD | 21.99 | -0.22 | 0.64 | -3.06 | -1.39 |
| United States Dollar | USD | 21.98 | -0.23 | 0.64 | -3.06 | -1.39 |
| Bermudian Dollar | BMD | 21.98 | -0.23 | 0.64 | -3.06 | -1.39 |
| Ecuadorean Sucre | ECS | 21.98 | -0.23 | 0.64 | -3.06 | -1.39 |
| Panamanian Balboa | PAB | 21.98 | -0.23 | 0.64 | -3.06 | -1.39 |
| Aruban Guilder | AWG | 21.98 | -0.23 | 0.64 | -3.06 | -1.39 |
| Cuban Peso | CUP | 21.98 | -0.23 | 0.64 | -3.06 | -1.39 |
| Netherlands Antillean Guilder | ANG | 21.98 | -0.23 | 0.64 | -3.06 | -1.39 |
| Djiboutian Franc | DJF | 21.98 | -0.23 | 0.64 | -3.06 | -1.39 |
| Eritrean Nakfa | ERN | 21.98 | -0.23 | 0.64 | -3.06 | -1.39 |
| EAST CARIBBEAN DOLLAR | XCD | 21.98 | -0.23 | 0.64 | -3.06 | -1.39 |
| Cayman Islands Dollar | KYD | 21.98 | -0.23 | 0.64 | -3.06 | -1.39 |
| Omani Rial | OMR | 21.98 | -0.23 | 0.59 | -3.05 | -1.39 |
| UAE Dirham | AED | 21.98 | -0.23 | 0.64 | -3.06 | -1.39 |
| Guyanese Dollar | GYD | 21.92 | -0.23 | 2.39 | -3.06 | -1.04 |
| Macedonian Denar | MKD | 21.72 | -0.23 | 4.74 | 0.42 | -2.33 |
| Croatian Kuna | HRK | 20.9 | -0.03 | -1.49 | 2.65 | -2.07 |
| Belizean Dollar | BZD | 20.76 | 0.27 | -4.42 | -7.37 | -5.18 |
| Trinidad & Tobago Dollar | TTD | 20.65 | -0.23 | 0.17 | -3.81 | -1.54 |
| Guatemalan Quetzal | GTQ | 18.33 | -0.23 | 1.9 | -3.99 | -2.81 |
| Polish Zloty | PLN | 17.27 | -0.17 | 0.61 | 5 | 0.17 |
| Honduras Lempira | HNL | 17 | -0.23 | 0.15 | -6.23 | -4.62 |
| Madagascar Ariary | MGA | 16.08 | 0.09 | 1.14 | 1.12 | -5.12 |
| Indonesian Rupiah | IDR | 15.75 | -0.31 | -0.85 | -4.57 | -5.82 |
| Afghanistan Afghani | AFN | 14.2 | -0.59 | -2.4 | -6.63 | -7.4 |
| Egyptian Pound | EGP | 13.91 | -0.29 | 0.4 | -3.68 | -2.42 |
| Haitian Gourde | HTG | 12.87 | 0.39 | 1.03 | -2.76 | -3.51 |
| Yemeni Rial | YER | 12.84 | -0.23 | 0.64 | -2.95 | -1.27 |
| Hungarian Forint | HUF | 11.89 | -0.45 | 1.93 | 5.87 | 4.26 |
| Albanian Lek | ALL | 10.66 | 0.22 | 0 | 2.48 | -1.32 |
| Mozambique New Metical | MZN | 9.95 | -0.92 | -0.16 | -6.46 | -5.3 |
| Mauritanian Ouguiya | MRO | 9.93 | -0.23 | 1.31 | -4.19 | -4.34 |
| Algerian Dinar | DZD | 9.77 | 0.05 | 0.28 | -1.2 | -6.96 |
| Armenian Dram | AMD | 9.24 | -0.11 | 0.82 | -2.07 | -5.2 |
| Rwandan Franc | RWF | 7.15 | -0.26 | -0.79 | -4.96 | -4.36 |
| Bangladesh Taka | BDT | 5.39 | -0.17 | 1.34 | -2.38 | -0.7 |
| Russian Ruble | RUB | 5.18 | -0.01 | -0.01 | 2.08 | -5.63 |
| Mexican Peso | MXN | 3.99 | -0.3 | 0.08 | -0.68 | 0.64 |
| Somali Shilling | SOS | 3.5 | -0.23 | 0.61 | -3.06 | -1.39 |
| South Korean Won | KRW | 3.38 | -0.08 | 1.58 | 0.28 | 1.73 |
| Tunisian Dinar | TND | 3.05 | -0.06 | 0.55 | 0.96 | -3.73 |
| Sri Lankan Rupee | LKR | 3 | -0.31 | 3.14 | 0.73 | -1.58 |
| Dominican Republic Peso | DOP | 2.95 | -1.03 | -0.17 | -4.51 | -3.18 |
| Mongolian Tugrik | MNT | 2.76 | -0.45 | 1.29 | -6.07 | -6.34 |
| Liberian Dollar | LRD | 2.75 | -0.23 | 1.31 | -0.17 | -1.64 |
| Angolan Kwanza | AOA | 2.6 | -0.35 | 0.6 | -3.13 | -1.52 |
| Gambian Dalasi | GMD | 2.14 | -2.73 | -1.75 | -9.5 | -12.26 |
| Nepalese Rupee | NPR | 1.89 | 0.07 | 5.49 | 1.29 | -3.77 |
| Indian Rupee | INR | 1.79 | -0.36 | 2.64 | 0.9 | -4.12 |
| Bhutan Ngultrum | BTN | 1.79 | -0.36 | 2.64 | 0.9 | -4.12 |
| Suriname Dollar | SRD | 1.47 | -0.23 | 0.64 | -3.06 | -1.39 |
| Maldives Rufiyaa | MVR | 1.39 | -0.68 | 0.05 | -3.31 | -1.77 |
| Kazakhstan Tenge | KZT | 1.31 | -0.14 | 0.15 | -3.48 | -3.24 |
| Kenyan Shilling | KES | 0.46 | -0.17 | 0.4 | -4.14 | -3.48 |
| South African Rand | ZAR | 0.36 | -0.42 | -4.53 | -9.08 | -11.57 |
| Lesotho Loti | LSL | 0.36 | -0.42 | -4.53 | -9.08 | -11.57 |
| Namibian Dollar | NAD | 0.36 | -0.42 | -4.53 | -9.08 | -11.57 |
| Swaziland Lilangeni | SZL | 0.36 | -0.42 | -4.53 | -9.08 | -11.57 |
| Gibraltar Pound | GIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Falkland Islands Pound | FKP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ST. HELENA POUND | SHP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kyrgyzstan Som | KGS | -0.18 | -0.23 | 0.21 | -2.9 | -2.42 |
| Nigerian Naira | NGN | -0.78 | -0.39 | 0.81 | -1.39 | -1.34 |
| Tanzanian Shilling | TZS | -0.84 | -0.51 | 0.26 | -2.66 | -0.73 |
| Zambian Kwacha | ZMK | -1.06 | -1.36 | -3.59 | -9.26 | -0.99 |
| Guinean Franc | GNF | -3.04 | -0.23 | 3.52 | -0.29 | -0.05 |
| Turkish Lira | TRY | -3.38 | -0.22 | 0.38 | -2.96 | -2.2 |
| Vietnamese Dong | VND | -6.13 | -0.23 | 0.66 | -3.06 | -1.51 |
| Syrian Pound | SYP | -6.48 | 0.4 | -0.93 | -8.37 | -16.81 |
| Nicaraguan Cordoba | NIO | -7.57 | 0.06 | 0.5 | -3.95 | -3.47 |
| Iranian Rial | IRR | -7.89 | 0.39 | 0.89 | -2.54 | -0.77 |
| Romanian Leu | RON | -8.28 | 0.21 | -1.21 | 2.95 | -5.81 |
| Jamaican Dollar | JMD | -8.39 | -0.23 | 0.13 | -4.33 | -4.5 |
| Serbian Dinar | RSD | -11.19 | 0.08 | 4.48 | 8.52 | -1.92 |
| Tajikistani Somoni | TJS | -12.11 | -0.23 | 0.65 | -3.04 | -1.5 |
| Ugandan Shilling | UGX | -13.71 | 0.06 | -2.48 | -7.19 | -3.97 |
| Sierra Leone Leone | SLL | -16.46 | -0.23 | 0.66 | -3.1 | -1.11 |
| Burundi Franc | BIF | -17.01 | -0.46 | -0.44 | -5.32 | -7.84 |
| Argentine Peso | ARS | -20.29 | -0.23 | -0.16 | -6.32 | -7.96 |
| Pakistani Rupee | PKR | -22.13 | -0.26 | -0.22 | -4.02 | -6.23 |
| Uzbekistani Soum | UZS | -22.28 | -0.23 | -0.34 | -6.62 | -6.48 |
| Ukrainian Hryvnia | UAH | -24.39 | -0.29 | 0.16 | -3.84 | -3.07 |
| Congolese Franc | CDF | -29.42 | -0.26 | 0.68 | -2.89 | -0.62 |
| Iceland Krona | ISK | -29.9 | -0.05 | -0.18 | 0.09 | 2.32 |
| Venezuelan Bolivar Fuerte | VEF | -39.01 | -0.23 | 0.64 | -3.06 | -1.39 |
| New Ghana Cedi | GHS | -40.22 | -0.18 | 1.12 | 0.46 | -5.02 |
| Ethiopian Birr | ETB | -40.36 | -0.25 | 0.26 | -4.17 | -4.6 |
| Malawian Kwacha | MWK | -41.88 | 0.58 | -0.87 | -10.37 | -44.09 |
| New Sudanese Pound | SDG | -44.19 | 0.22 | 1.1 | -2.62 | -39.64 |
| Seychelles Rupee | SCR | -44.27 | 0.15 | -0.16 | 11 | 5.75 |
| Sao Tome & Principe Dobra | STD | -57.72 | -3.33 | -1.89 | -0.8 | -5.65 |
| Myanmar Kyat | MMK | -99.08 | 0.41 | 2.82 | 0.45 | -4.41 |
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