The British pound strengthened Thursday after a poll indicated Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party will win the Dec. 12 general election with a comfortable majority.

The pound rose 0.2% to $1.2945 from a level of $1.2920 late Wednesday in New York. FTSE 100 futures meanwhile, indicated a weaker start for London stocks as China reacted angrily to news President Donald Trump signed a bill supporting Hong Kong protesters. That has stoked some concerns that trade negotiations could become more complicated.

A Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S. is expected to keep trading volumes thin for financial markets.

A YouGov poll for the Times predicted the Conservatives will win 359 seats, Labour 211, the Scottish National Party 43 and the Liberal Democrats 13 if the election were held now. The result would mean a 68-seat majority for Johnson. The poll indicates the second-worst postwar loss for the Labour Party.

Source : Marketwatch