The Japanese yen is almost unchanged on Thursday. Early in the North American session, USD/JPY is trading just shy of the 118 line. On the release front, Japanese Retail Sales posted a weak gain of 0.2%, well short of expectations. Later in the day, Japan will release Tokyo Core CPI as well as consumer spending and manufacturing reports. In the US, Unemployment Claims sparkled, dropping to 265 thousand.
US employment numbers have improved as the economy chugs along. This was underscored by Unemployment Claims, which plunged to 265 thousand, down from 307 thousand a week earlier. This marked the indicator’s lowest level since April 2000. On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve reiterated that it would be “patient” regarding the timeline for a raise in interest rates, which have been close to zero since 2008. However, the Fed gave a vote of confidence to the US economy, noting that the economy was expanding at a “solid pace”. The markets expect the Fed to raise rates sometime during the year, so the “Fed rate watch” is sure to continue, as the markets look for clues as to when the Fed will make a move.
Japanese Retail Sales, the primary gauge of retail sales, disappointed in December. The indicator posted a small gain of 0.2%, well below the forecast of 1.1%. This is also marked a 6-month low, underscoring weak economic activity. Tokyo Core CPI is expected to continue to lose ground, with the estimate standing at 2.2%.
USD/JPY 117.97 H: 118.19 L: 117.56
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