1.   Doubts about the ability of the government to win the late Monday night vote had weakened the pound.

2.   It also weakens the pound, which boosts profits for companies that do a lot of their business abroad.

3.   That conflict is one of the pressures weakening the pound.

4.   The prospect of low interest rates weakened the pound.

5.   But unions in Sudan attacked the offices, saying it was weakening the pound and thus forcing up prices for imported and some local goods.

6.   Manufacturers have urged the government to adopt the euro, or at least to slash British interest rates in an effort to weaken the pound.

7.   The pound was weakened by a report that British business confidence has dropped sharply since the end of November.

8.   Sterling was slightly weaker after an independent study called for the Bank of England to intervene on the foreign exchange markets to weaken the pound.