Pound holds ground as sunshine and soccer boost confidence in UK economy

LONDON, Aug 13 (Reuters) - The pound held steady on Thursday and remained on track for a third weekly gain as burgeoning confidence in the UK economy was reinforced by data that showed growth unexpectedly picked up in June.

Money markets show traders still expect one rate rise from the Bank of England this year, and Thursday's economic data did little to shift that.

The Office for National Statistics said UK gross domestic product rose by 0.3% during the month, putting Britain on course for the strongest growth among the Group of Seven rich economies in the first half of 2026, after being flat in May.

Households and businesses enjoyed some respite from high energy prices caused by the Iran war in June, while the start of the men's soccer World Cup and hot weather helped boost overall economic activity.

Sterling GBP= was last unchanged on the day against the dollar at $1.349 and against the euro EURGBP=, which traded at £0.8547.

Although growth was modest, it was mostly the product of consumer spending and business investment, rather than government spending, which could prove encouraging for investors, Jeremy Stretch, who is head of G10 FX strategy at CIBC Capital Markets, said.

"Putting your head under the bonnet of the UK economy suggests that the momentum is perhaps a little more robust and a little more dynamic than we might have assumed," he said.

Next week brings a raft of inflation data that could be more influential in setting expectations for BoE monetary policy.

"Despite the ONS estimated strength of growth in H1, we don't think it will shift the BoE’s assessment. The BoE will still view the UK economy as operating with slack that supports domestic disinflation at present," RBC Capital Markets said.

(Reporting by Amanda Cooper; Editing by Andrew Heavens)