USD/JPY tests key February highs

The USD/JPY pair rallied sharply on Monday, reaching the 153.00 level and testing levels not seen since February 2025. This bullish momentum is being driven by expectations of significant fiscal stimulus from Japan's new government and ongoing uncertainty surrounding the Bank of Japan's (BoJ) policy path.

The yen has been under sustained pressure since the election of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, whose administration is expected to pursue expansive fiscal spending while endorsing an accommodative monetary stance. Reports suggest a substantial stimulus package, valued at over ¥13.9 trillion, could be unveiled as early as November. The plan aims to support households and mitigate inflationary pressures.

While the BoJ is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged at its meeting this week, market participants will be watching closely for any communication regarding the conditions for a future rate hike should inflationary pressures ease. Additionally, an upcoming meeting between Prime Minister Takaichi and US President Donald Trump is being monitored for further signals on the direction of Japan's economic policy.

Technical analysis: USD/JPY

Four-hour chart

On the H4 chart, USD/JPY broke out upwards from a consolidation range around 151.80, confirming a renewed uptrend with an initial target at 153.43. The pair has since completed a leg higher to 153.24 and is now undergoing a technical retracement, currently testing the 152.43 level from above. We expect this pullback to be followed by another impulse higher towards the 153.43 target. Following that, a more pronounced correction towards 151.80 is anticipated before the broader uptrend resumes, with the next major objective at 154.33. The MACD indicator supports this outlook, with its signal line firmly above zero and pointing upwards, confirming sustained bullish momentum.

One-hour chart

The H1 chart shows the completion of an initial growth wave to 153.25. The immediate focus is on a further push to 153.33. Upon reaching this local target, a corrective decline to at least 152.43 is likely. Once this correction is complete, the next leg of the uptrend is projected to drive the pair towards 154.33. This scenario is technically confirmed by the Stochastic oscillator, whose signal line is above 50 and trending strongly towards 80, indicating that near-term bullish momentum remains intact.

Conclusion

Fundamentally, the combination of anticipated Japanese fiscal stimulus and a steady BoJ continues to weigh on the yen, while technically, USD/JPY retains a constructive bullish bias. While a short-term correction is expected, the path of least resistance remains to the upside, with key targets at 153.43 and ultimately 154.33.