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We are Meridian Solutions. Currency and treasury specialists with a difference. Our vision is to set a new direction for foreign exchange and international business solutions by combining advanced technology with a fully bespoke personal service.

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The story behind our name.

The establishment of the meridian lines set the precedent for time-keeping and orientation. Sailors have reliably used them for centuries to navigate to destinations safely and efficiently. They remain central to GPS technology to this day.

Like the meridian lines, we successfully help our clients navigate the complex world of currency and international business; helping them plan, time and deliver their global transactions effectively and efficiently.

About Meridian

  • We've been really impressed by the support and responsiveness of Meridian's team. They've been a key partner in helping us protect our budget levels through a turbulent few years in the markets. We wouldn’t hesitate in recommending them.
    Hilary Hansen, Director, Schotten & Hansen UK
  • Meridian go above and beyond for us time and again. Seamless operations, great to deal with and I know my business interests are their number one priority. I can't recommend them highly enough.
    Sally Hayden, Director, Putoline Distribution
  • If any financial company worked like Meridian, the world would be a much better place!
    Lars Elm-Fich, Managing Director, Tastimage
  • We've been really impressed by the support and responsiveness of Meridian's team. They've been a key partner in helping us protect our budget levels through a turbulent few years in the markets. We wouldn’t hesitate in recommending them.
    Hilary Hansen, Director, Schotten & Hansen UK
  • Meridian go above and beyond for us time and again. Seamless operations, great to deal with and I know my business interests are their number one priority. I can't recommend them highly enough.
    Sally Hayden, Director, Putoline Distribution

    Latest News

    • Euro weakens following ECB policymaker comments

      The Euro has weakened this morning, triggered by European Central Bank comments expressing concerns about the strength of the common currency. ECB policymaker Klaas Knot commented that the ECB were closely monitoring the exchange rates and have tools to counter further appreciation of the Euro if necessary, including potentially cutting interest rates. Economic growth is slow within the bloc and an overly strong Euro could potentially exacerbate this issue, further slowing the recovery. This comes off the back of a sluggish start to the vaccine rollout in Europe, seeing only 2 in every 100 people vaccinated, compared to the UK's 10 in 100. The UK remain one of the fastest nations globally to roll out the vaccine, leading to Sterling's boost. Analysts are viewing the speed of the rollout as a key driver for economic growth and currency performances in 2021. Optimists are hoping the UK's impressive vaccine rollout will make negative interest rates less likely, supporting the UK's economic rebound. However, the full impact of the third UK lockdown is yet to be understood and this could weigh on Sterling over the longer term. A sharp contraction in growth from this current lockdown might prompt the Bank of England to cut interest rates later in 2021. As a result, the GBP/EUR has hit a fresh 8 month high after gaining 1-cent since yesterday’s low. The GBP/USD has gained around 1% since yesterday’s low and touched the highest levels since May 2018. The EUR/USD is down 0.5 cents and towards the bottom of its weekly range. Eyes will now turn onto tonight's federal reserve interest meeting, alongside updated Covid-19 case numbers globally.

      READ MORE

    • GBP weakens amidst Covid concerns and Brexit row

      The US dollar and Euro have made some gains against the pound this week as concerns grow about the Delta covid variant and tension mounts over Brexit. The Delta variant, thought to be 40% more transmissible than other strains, has seen cases rise rapidly in the UK, doubling nearly every ten days according to the latest data. This has led to speculation in The Times that ministers are becoming increasingly pessimistic about the country’s full reopening on June 21st, following a ‘downbeat’ briefing from senior medical advisors Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance. The Times reported that so-called ‘Freedom Day’ may be pushed back by two weeks to enable all over-50s to be fully vaccinated and leave sufficient time for jabs to take effect before restrictions are lifted. Analysts have blamed this uncertainty for sterling’s soft start to the week, alongside continued Brexit contention around Northern Ireland and the implementation of the trade protocol, which remains unresolved. Tension has grown between London and Brussels as the UK extended the period without checks of the customs border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. So far this has been largely ignored by the market but it’s a story that has the potential to develop. In the US, a miss on expected employment numbers on Friday seems to have been offset by remarks made by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's on interest rates yesterday. She stated that higher US interest rates “would actually be a plus for society’s point of view and the Fed’s point of view”. Although markets have not reacted too heavily to these comments, should the Fed chair Powell echo these sentiments at his press conference next week then we could expect to see some more volatility in the dollar. The FX markets have had a relatively quiet fortnight and sterling crosses continue to remain within tight trading ranges. As a result, the GBP/USD has lost half a cent from yesterday’s high but continues to trade comfortably above 1.40. The GBP/EUR remains buoyant but has also lost half a cent from yesterday and trades close to a 1-week low. The EUR/USD has clawed back around 1-cent from Friday’s low and continues to trade at elevated levels and over the 1.21 mark. The next key event on the calendar is the ECB interest rate meeting on Thursday. We do not expect any policy action from the ECB, however, with the improvement in economic news from the region, we might expect less dovish comments from the Governing Council.

      READ MORE

    • Sterling maintains momentum against dollar following dovish Fed comments

      The GBP/USD has gained following last night’s dovish comments from the US Federal Reserve. Jerome Powell, Chair of the Federal Reserve, announced that interest rates will not be raised until "substantial further progress" has been made with the US economy. He admitted the economy has "a long way to go" but that the bank will continue to look through temporary increases of over 2% in inflation, as he expects this to be transitory. Powell also stressed the bank is not about to taper down its bond buys anytime soon, noting that employment was still off-target and it would take time to reach its goals. These comments saw a loss of momentum for the greenback surrounding recent positive news around US economic growth, with investor optimism dropping following expectations that stimulus measures in the US would begin to unwind. Mounting pressure faced by Boris Johnson's Government is expected to be weighing on sterling, which has seen a slight slowdown in the rapid gains we saw earlier in 2021. Allegations regarding Conservative donor funding of No. 10 renovations alongside comments of 'bodies piling high' have dogged Boris Johnson in recent days, as has further pressure around Brexit and the Northern Ireland protocol which has led to the resignation of DUP Leader Arlene Foster. Analysts have also warned that the UK's strong vaccination rollout is expected to have already been priced into the pound which could weaken sterling further. This news, plus a stronger vaccine rollout programme in Europe, has likely led to the gains made by the Euro against both GBP and USD this week, with a growth in market confidence that further momentum will follow. As a result, the GBP/USD pushed up a cent overnight which took it to a 9-day high. The EUR/USD also climbed nearly a cent higher and has continued its solid ascent this month. After a heavy drop in March, the EUR/USD has clawed back nearly 4.5 cents this month due to a combination of a stronger Euro and reignited dollar weakness. The GBP/EUR is rather flat and trading towards the lower end of the recent range. Sterling continues to be caught in familiar ranges against both the Euro and USD with traders seemingly willing to continue to see how things pan out before taking any fresh new direction.

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    • GBP loses momentum against USD and Euro

      The pound lost ground today as US treasury yields have risen and concerns grow around the AstraZeneca vaccine side-effects . After a positive start to the week, Sterling dropped against the USD as investor risk sentiment reduced with the Federal Reserve seeming to be warming up to the idea of raising interest rates sooner than previously expected. In addition, Joe Biden's infrastructure programme now has a higher chance of passing after the Senate ruled it can pass via reconciliation, which is a quicker process. This could lead to faster growth in the US, strengthening the safe-haven dollar. Sterling also lost momentum against the Euro as the UK's AstraZeneca vaccine rollout is temporarily halted amongst the under 30's amidst blood clot concerns. Despite adding the Moderna vaccine to its programme today, the AstraZeneca vaccine is expected to make up the majority of the UK's supplies, which may lead a loss of momentum in the rollout. Some analysts also feel that traders are taking some profits on the Pound’s recent solid run. As a result, the GBP/USD hit a 1-week low after losing nearly 2-cents in the past 24hrs. The GBP/EUR touched a 1-mth low having dropped around 2.5-cents from Monday. The rates continue to trade within the familiar ranges and the data calendar is relatively quiet this week.

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    • Vaccine row sees dip in GBP and EUR

      Sterling and Euro dipped this morning amidst growing tension between the UK and Europe over the supply and efficacy of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The UK’s rapid vaccine rollout has benefitted the Pound, seeing it crowned 2021’s best performing currency in the first two weeks of March. But there is growing discontent amongst EU nations regarding the bloc’s lacklustre rollout, which is being partly attributed to a lack of supply of the British-Swedish AstraZeneca vaccine. This adds to tension between the UK and Europe in recent days, with some EU nations suspending rollout of the Astra Zeneca jab amidst health concerns. One solution being considered by the EU is to restrict exports of the vaccine to the UK in order to bolster supplies; a move that could spark concerns over the UK’s vaccine supply and impact the Pound. In addition, the UK announced an unemployment rate of 5%, which although better than expected, still saw a leap in jobless claims of 86,500 in February. Across the pond, the dollar is gaining ground as Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell prepares to testify before Congress this afternoon to shed light on the government’s pandemic relief efforts. President Biden's advisors have also been working on an ambitious $3 trillion infrastructure program to heat up the US economy. As a result, the GBP/USD hit a 6-week low today after falling one cent this morning. The GBP/EUR trades over 1-cent lower than last week’s highs and the EUR/USD trades towards the bottom of its recent range and under 1.19.

      READ MORE

    • GBP climbs back following unexpected drop-off

      The Pound continues to be range-bound and has edged back towards the upper end against the Euro and USD after reaching one-week lows yesterday. After seeing an unexpected drop-off yesterday, Sterling has yet again shown its resilience this morning and moved back towards the higher end of the recent ranges. The UK’s successful vaccination campaign continues to give underlying support to the Pound, along with the BoE’s reluctance to move towards negative interest rates. Dovish comments earlier in the week from BoE Governor Andrew Bailey, however, likely sparked some caution amongst investors about the UK's economic recovery, as he confirmed the BoE are committed to buying bonds at an elevated pace. Traders will be closely watching tomorrow’s BoE interest meeting for additional clues on their latest outlook on inflation and the UK economy. The EU has also launched legal action against the UK for an alleged breach of the Northern Ireland protocol and, although this hasn’t had a huge impact on the FX rates so far, it’s certainly something to keep an eye on in case things escalate. The Euro continues to remain on the backfoot as the EU’s vaccine rollout slows down, with over a dozen countries suspending use of the AstraZeneca jab amidst health fears. Although the vaccine has been fully endorsed by the bloc's medical regulator and the World Health Organisation, the suspension is likely to damage public confidence, adding to market concerns surrounding the EU's rollout efforts. As a result, the GBP/EUR pushed up nearly 1% from yesterday’s low and hit a 3-week high this morning. The GBP/USD has recovered 1-cent from yesterday’s low and trades at the highest levels of the week. The EUR/USD remains subdued below the 1.19 mark which is close to the lowest levels in 4-months. Eyes will move onto this evening's Federal Reserve meeting, with investors awaiting the central bank’s updated economic projections and chair Powell’s comments on the recent increase in US bond yields.

      READ MORE

    • GBP sees its sharpest decline in 2021 so far

      Sterling made some big losses overnight in response to a sell-off in global stock markets. Rising government bond yields globally (particularly US treasuries) have contributed heavily to this move, signalling investors are fearful inflation could spike if the global economy overheats as economies strengthen and recover following the pandemic. This could force central banks to withdraw stimulus sooner than expected by exiting their generous quantitative easing programmes and raising interest rates earlier than they’re indicating. This has created a heavy risk-off sentiment which the pound is particularly vulnerable to. Furthermore, the large gains Sterling had made this week had pushed it into overbought territory and therefore vulnerable to a correction and profit-taking. As a result, the pound has given up the gains it’s made this week and we’ve seen the biggest 24-hr decline in the pound in 2021. The GBP/USD is down around 2.5 cents from yesterday’s high and back under 1.40 (at an 8-day low). The GBP/EUR is down around 1.3% from yesterday’s high and nearly 2-cents off this week’s high (a 9-day low). Markets will be keeping a close eye on the central banks to see if they will try and calm the bond markets down. The tantrum in the bond market is damaging central bank credibility and, as much as they will not want to cause alarm by intervening, they might need to if the rout continues.

      READ MORE

    • Pound strengthens as Johnson announces roadmap out of lockdown

      Sterling has made further gains this morning following Boris Johnson’s announcement to reopen the UK over coming months. The roadmap set out last night by the Prime Minister has been well-received by markets, with the cautious approach giving economists optimism that the UK will avoid a fourth lockdown and be on course for a strong economic rebound. This morning the pound has also received a boost from UK employment figures, which showed wage growth accelerating to 4.7% annually and unemployment dropping by 20,000 last month. However, it’s yet to be seen what will happen in the jobs market when the government ends the current furlough scheme. The broad weakening of the USD has also benefitted Sterling, as US bonds receive a fresh bid, lowering their yields and pushing the dollar down. Investors have been cautious to favour the dollar ahead of this afternoon’s Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s speech to Congress, with the expectation that he will look to keep above-target inflation in the medium term and keep borrowing costs low to support growth. As a result, the Pound has pushed through some key technical levels across the major currencies and appears to continue to have momentum. The GBP/USD has hit the highest levels since April 2018 and has gained around 5-cents in February. The GBP/EUR has continued to rise and now trades at the highest levels since March 2020 and moved up nearly 6-cents since the start of this year.

      READ MORE

    • Pound strengthens following latest BoE meeting

      The pound has just moved higher following the latest Bank of England interest rate setting meeting. As expected, the central bank kept interest rates on hold at 0.1% and left their quantitative easing programme unchanged. In the minutes that accompanied the decision, however, the BoE sounded relatively optimistic about the economic outlook, projecting a quick recovery to pre-covid levels by the end of the year and for inflation to pick up towards their 2% target levels over the coming months. They also hinted that they are not in any major rush to look at negative rates. As a result, the GBP/EUR has jumped nearly 1-cent today and hit a fresh high from May 2020. GBP/USD has made back some ground and continue to trade relatively high.

      READ MORE

    • Euro weakens following ECB policymaker comments

      The Euro has weakened this morning, triggered by European Central Bank comments expressing concerns about the strength of the common currency. ECB policymaker Klaas Knot commented that the ECB were closely monitoring the exchange rates and have tools to counter further appreciation of the Euro if necessary, including potentially cutting interest rates. Economic growth is slow within the bloc and an overly strong Euro could potentially exacerbate this issue, further slowing the recovery. This comes off the back of a sluggish start to the vaccine rollout in Europe, seeing only 2 in every 100 people vaccinated, compared to the UK's 10 in 100. The UK remain one of the fastest nations globally to roll out the vaccine, leading to Sterling's boost. Analysts are viewing the speed of the rollout as a key driver for economic growth and currency performances in 2021. Optimists are hoping the UK's impressive vaccine rollout will make negative interest rates less likely, supporting the UK's economic rebound. However, the full impact of the third UK lockdown is yet to be understood and this could weigh on Sterling over the longer term. A sharp contraction in growth from this current lockdown might prompt the Bank of England to cut interest rates later in 2021. As a result, the GBP/EUR has hit a fresh 8 month high after gaining 1-cent since yesterday’s low. The GBP/USD has gained around 1% since yesterday’s low and touched the highest levels since May 2018. The EUR/USD is down 0.5 cents and towards the bottom of its weekly range. Eyes will now turn onto tonight's federal reserve interest meeting, alongside updated Covid-19 case numbers globally.

      READ MORE

    • GBP weakens amidst Covid concerns and Brexit row

      The US dollar and Euro have made some gains against the pound this week as concerns grow about the Delta covid variant and tension mounts over Brexit. The Delta variant, thought to be 40% more transmissible than other strains, has seen cases rise rapidly in the UK, doubling nearly every ten days according to the latest data. This has led to speculation in The Times that ministers are becoming increasingly pessimistic about the country’s full reopening on June 21st, following a ‘downbeat’ briefing from senior medical advisors Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance. The Times reported that so-called ‘Freedom Day’ may be pushed back by two weeks to enable all over-50s to be fully vaccinated and leave sufficient time for jabs to take effect before restrictions are lifted. Analysts have blamed this uncertainty for sterling’s soft start to the week, alongside continued Brexit contention around Northern Ireland and the implementation of the trade protocol, which remains unresolved. Tension has grown between London and Brussels as the UK extended the period without checks of the customs border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. So far this has been largely ignored by the market but it’s a story that has the potential to develop. In the US, a miss on expected employment numbers on Friday seems to have been offset by remarks made by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's on interest rates yesterday. She stated that higher US interest rates “would actually be a plus for society’s point of view and the Fed’s point of view”. Although markets have not reacted too heavily to these comments, should the Fed chair Powell echo these sentiments at his press conference next week then we could expect to see some more volatility in the dollar. The FX markets have had a relatively quiet fortnight and sterling crosses continue to remain within tight trading ranges. As a result, the GBP/USD has lost half a cent from yesterday’s high but continues to trade comfortably above 1.40. The GBP/EUR remains buoyant but has also lost half a cent from yesterday and trades close to a 1-week low. The EUR/USD has clawed back around 1-cent from Friday’s low and continues to trade at elevated levels and over the 1.21 mark. The next key event on the calendar is the ECB interest rate meeting on Thursday. We do not expect any policy action from the ECB, however, with the improvement in economic news from the region, we might expect less dovish comments from the Governing Council.

      READ MORE

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