Though there were no major data releases from the UK yesterday, Sterling was pushed significantly lower on Brexit concerns. The UK will vote on whether to remain in the EU on Thursday 23 June, Prime Minister David Cameron has said. The prime minister made his historic announcement in Downing Street after briefing the cabinet. He said he would be campaigning to remain in a reformed EU - and described the vote as one of the biggest decisions "in our lifetimes". Ministers immediately divided up into the leave and remain camps as the campaigns got under way in earnest.
The UK's EU membership referendum is a "once-in-a-lifetime chance to vote for real change", Boris Johnson has argued as he declared support for an exit. The London Mayor confirmed earlier to reporters that he would be campaigning to leave the union. In a 2,000-word column for The Daily Telegraph,
the Conservative MP said staying inside the union would lead to "an erosion of democracy". The prime minister has said leaving the EU would be a "leap in the dark".
Tomorrow's session will be marked by Inflation Report Hearings that should add some volatility to the markets. In the US session CB Consumer Confidence and Existing Home Sales figures were released. Analysts predict decline to 97.4 in Consumer Confidence, while Existing Home Sales should fall to an annual rate of 5.36 million.
Figures to watch:
Inflation Report Hearings (Tuesday 11:00)
CB Consumer Confidence (Tuesday 16:00)
Existing Home Sales (Tuesday 16:00)