British Pound Hits 6-month High After Polls Close In Brexit Vote

The British pound rose to a six-month high versus the dollar late Thursday as polls closed in the United Kingdom's vote on whether to remain a member of the European Union. The pound fetched $1.4988 after trading as high as $1.50, a level last seen in December. The currency rallied amid expectations that voters opted to remain a part of the EU. The results of a survey conducted Thursday by pollster YouGov and released after the polls closed showed a 52%-to-48% advantage for the "remain" camp. Nigel Farage, leader of the U.K. Independence Party and a lead advocate for exiting the EU, told Sky News that "remain" would likely "edge" to victory amid heavy turnout.