USD/JPY has edged lower, as the pair trades in the high-103 range on Wednesday. In the US, there is just one event on the calendar, Crude Oil Inventories. There are no Japanese releases on Wednesday.
Japanese inflation levels continue to post strong numbers, as the fight against deflation has emerged as one of the government's economic success stories. The Services Producer Price Index, which measures corporate inflation, posted a sharp gain of 3.7%, after two straight gains of 3.6%. The markets are expecting more positive news from additional inflation indicators on Thursday. Strong data could help the shaky yen, which continues to trade close to the 104 line.
US durables painted a mixed picture on Tuesday. Core Durable Goods Orders, a key indicator, came in at -0.8%, its worst showing in 2014. This was nowhere near the estimate of +0.5%. At the same time, Durable Goods Orders stunned the markets with a record gain of 22.6%. The reason? A huge increase in the purchase of passenger planes in July. The sharp jump did not have much effect on the dollar, and the indicator is expected to return to normal levels next month.
There was some speculation that the recent economic meeting in Jackson Hole might be a market-mover, so the markets were all ears as Fed chair Janet Yellen delivered the keynote address on Friday. Any hopes for some dramatic news were dashed, however, as Yellen did not provide any clues as to the timing of a rate hike. She reiterated that the US job market still needed to improve, so employment numbers remain a crucial factor in any rate move by the Fed. There is divergence in monetary stance between the ECB and the BOJ on the one hand and the Federal Reserve on the other. The Fed is close to winding up QE, while the BOJ may step in and provide stimulus to the Japanese economy.
USD/JPY 103.89 H: 104.16 L: 103.86
This article is for general information purposes only. It is not investment advice or a solution to buy or sell securities.
Opinions are the authors — not necessarily OANDA’s, its officers or directors. OANDA’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy apply. Leveraged trading is high risk and not suitable for all. You could lose all of your deposited funds.
Recommended Content
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD stays slightly above 1.0700 after mixed US data
EUR/USD lost its traction and turned negative on the day but managed to hold above 1.0700. Although the upbeat Employment Cost Index data boosted the USD earlier in the day, the weak consumer sentiment reading limits the currency's gains.
GBP/USD declines toward 1.2500 on renewed USD strength
GBP/USD turned south and dropped toward 1.2500 in the second half of the day. The US Dollar stays resilient against its rivals following the strong wage inflation data and doesn't allow the pair to gain traction.
Gold extends daily slide toward $2,300 as US yields edge higher
Gold stays under bearish pressure and declines toward $2,300 on Tuesday. The benchmark 10-year US Treasury bond yield stays in positive territory above 4.6% after US Employment Cost Index data, weighing on XAU/USD.
XRP hovers above $0.51 as Ripple motion to strike new expert materials receives SEC response
Ripple (XRP) trades broadly sideways on Tuesday after closing above $0.51 on Monday as the payment firm’s legal battle against the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) persists.
Eurozone inflation stable as the outlook on prices gets increasingly muddied
Eurozone headline inflation remains stable at 2.4%. With higher energy prices and improving domestic demand, questions about the direction of inflation become louder.