At 4.30 am ET Thursday, U.K. retail sales data is due. Sales, including auto fuel, are forecast to rise 0.9 percent on month in April, reversing a 1.2 percent fall in March.

Ahead of the data, the pound rose against its major rivals.

The pound was worth 1.3390 against the greenback, 146.91 against the yen, 1.3289 against the franc and 0.8764 against the euro as of 4:25 am ET.

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