USD/JPY continues its climb: Is there a limit?

USD/JPY rose to 160.52 on Thursday, marking its highest level since July 2024. The Japanese yen remains under significant pressure despite a notable acceleration in Japan’s producer price inflation.

According to the latest data, Japan’s Producer Price Index (PPI) increased by 6.1% year-on-year in May, up from a revised 5.3% in April. The figure exceeded market expectations of 5.5% and reached its highest level in three years. Rising energy costs and the yen’s weakness remain the primary drivers of producer price growth.

The stronger-than-expected inflation data has reinforced expectations that the Bank of Japan could raise interest rates as early as its next policy meeting. Market participants increasingly believe the central bank will need to respond to mounting inflationary pressures, exacerbated by the conflict in the Middle East and the continued depreciation of the Japanese currency.

Investor attention is also focused on comments from Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda, with markets seeking clearer signals on the future direction of monetary policy. Investors are already pricing in the possibility of another rate increase in September and are not ruling out an additional move in December.

Despite these expectations, the yen remains under pressure. The strength of the US dollar and expectations that the Federal Reserve will maintain a restrictive policy stance continue to outweigh support from potential Bank of Japan rate hikes.

Technical analysis

On the H4 chart, USD/JPY is trading within a consolidation range around the 160.30 level and is developing an upward move towards 160.85. This target is expected to be reached today, followed by a corrective pullback towards 160.30. The MACD indicator supports this scenario, with its signal line above zero and pointing firmly upwards, indicating that bullish momentum remains intact.

On the H1 chart, USD/JPY is building an upward structure towards 160.85. A correction towards 160.30 may follow before another advance towards 160.90, with scope for the broader trend to extend to 162.00.

The Stochastic oscillator confirms this outlook. Its signal line remains above the 50 level and is moving towards 80, suggesting that upside momentum is likely to persist in the short term.

Conclusion

USD/JPY continues to benefit from a strong US dollar and expectations of prolonged Federal Reserve policy tightness, despite growing speculation of further Bank of Japan rate increases. While the pair remains firmly bullish, its approach to new multi-year highs may increase market sensitivity to any signs of intervention or policy shifts from Japanese authorities.