Analysis: Risk of messy trade war adds to woes for British currency

While the challenges facing the UK economy are broadly similar to others, a few factors additionally weigh on the pound, writes Saikat Chatterjee.

'The pound has the weakest outlook among all the major currencies,' said Kaspar Hense, at Bluebay Asset Management in London.

In volatile currency markets, one trade stands out as an easy bet: Selling the British pound.

With the world's fifth-biggest economy grappling with a particularly unhealthy cocktail of slowing growth and surging inflation, sterling has become the medium of choice to express a negative view.