Investing.com - A robust U.S. jobs report coupled with a soft U.K. service-sector gauge sent the pound dropping to near 11-month lows against the dollar on Friday.
In U.S. trading on Friday, GBP/USD was down 1.14% at 1.5932, up from a session low of 1.5953 and off a high of 1.6159.
Cable was likely to find support at 1.5852, the low from Nov. 12, 2013, and resistance at 1.6288, Tuesday's high.
The Department of Labor reported earlier that the U.S. economy added 248,000 jobs in September, far more than the expected 215,000 increase. The number of jobs created in August was revised to 180,000 from a previous estimate of 142,000.
In addition, the U.S. unemployment rate ticked down to 5.9% last month from 6.1% in August.
Analysts had expected the rate to remain unchanged, and the numbers boosted the dollar by cementing expectations for the Federal Reserve to close its monthly bond-buying program later this month and begin hiking interest rates in 2015 sooner than once anticipated.
Elsewhere, the Institute of Supply Management said its non-manufacturing purchasing managers' index slipped to 58.6 in September from a reading of 59.6 in August. Analysts had expected the index to fall to 58.5 last month.
A separate report showed that the U.S. trade deficit narrowed to $40.10 billion in August from $40.30 billion in July, whose figure was revised from a previously estimated deficit of $40.60 billion.
Analysts had expected the trade deficit to widen to $40.90 billion in August.
Soft data out of the U.K. weakened the pound as well.
Markit Economics reported earlier that its U.K. services PMI slipped to 58.7 in September from 60.5 in August. Analysts had expected the index to tick down to 59.1 last month.
Elsewhere, sterling was up against the euro, with EUR/GBP down 0.08% at 0.7841, and up against the yen, with GBP/JPY up 0.06% at 175.20.