USD/JPY: waiting for a catalyst to break higher
|USD/JPY Current price: 112.02
- Upbeat Chinese data kept the mood high in Asia.
- Range trading continues ahead of Thursday's first-tier data.
The USD/JPY pair surpassed its yearly high by a few pips to hit 112.16 overnight, underpinned by upbeat Chinese figures and dismal Japanese figures. China's Retail Sales rose by 8.7% YoY in March, while Industrial Production increased by 8.5% in the same period, both beating the market's expectations. More relevant, Chinese Q1 GDP printed 6.4% matching the previous quarter outcome, and above the expected 6.3%. On the contrary, Japanese Industrial Production increased by just 0.7% MoM in February, half the market's estimate, and decreased by 1.1% from a year earlier.
The pair was unable to hold on to gains and returned to trade around the 112.00 figure, as, despite the positive mood, equities barely reacted, with Asian and European indexes hovering around their opening levels with uneven results. The US calendar will remain scarce today, without relevant data, as it will only offer February Trade Balance. Market players are waiting for Thursday's data, which will put an end to the week ahead of Good Friday's holiday.
From a technical point of view, the pair retains the neutral-to-bullish stance in the short term, as, in the 4 hours chart, it holds around a bullish 20 SMA, while the 100 SMA is about to cross above the 200 SMA far below the current level. Technical indicators, however, remain directionless, the Momentum around its 100 level and the RSI at 60. The absence of a strong catalyst could see the pair surpassing the high by a few pips before returning to its usual range, with a clearer breakout more likely Thursday. Meanwhile, the risk will remain skewed to the upside as long as the price holds above the 111.80 level, the immediate support.
Support levels: 111.80 111.50 111.20
Resistance levels: 112.15 112.50 112.85
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers.