Sterling advances vs. dollar for second consecutive session

Sterling kept rebounding from a two-month low against the dollar for the second straight session, hitting its highest since mid-December in American trade following earlier data from the U.K. and the U.S., the world's largest economy.
 
As of 07:00 GMT, GBP/USD rose to 1.2421 from the opening of 1.2321, with an intraday low at 1.2269, and the highest since December 19 at 1.2432.
 
Earlier U.K. data showed the services PMI up to 56.2 from 55.2 in November, besting expectations of 54.8, while U.S. data showedthe economy adding 153 thousand new jobs in the private sector, down from 215K in November, and missing expectations of 171K. Investors now await the official report on Friday, expected to show 175K new jobs, and for the unemployment rate to inch up to 4.7% in December.

Similarly, unemployment claims fell to 235 thousand in the week ending December 31, compared to 263K in the previous reading, while continuing claims rose 16 thousand in the week ending December 24 to 2.112 million claims, above expectations of 2.045M.

Additionally, the ISM services PMI rose to 57.2 in December, besting expectations of 56.6, and the same as November, while the Energy Information Administration released its report on U.S. crude stocks, showing an inventory drawdown in the world's largest energy consumer.