GBP appreciated against its major rivals in the European session on Friday, supported by news that the UK's Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s chief adviser Dominic Cummings was to leave his role by the end of the year. Cummings ran the pro-Brexit Vote Leave campaign in the UK's EU referendum in 2016 and news about his departure raised hopes that London could take a less hard-line approach in talks with Brussels.

The EU-UK negotiation over a trade deal will resume in Brussels next week. Earlier this week, it was reported that the EU and the UK are likely to continue discussions of their post-Brexit trade relations past the mid-November deadline.

The UK PM's spokesman acknowledged today that familiar differences remain on level playing field and fisheries. He also noted the UK's position in relation to the future trade agreement negotiations is unchanged. "We want to reach a deal but it has to be one that fully respects the sovereignty of the United Kingdom," the spokesman added.