|

GBP/JPY Price Forecast: Key resistance remains at the 200.35-200.50 area

  • The Pound bounced up on Yen weakness, but is struggling to find acceptance above 200.00.
  • Moderate Tokyo inflation levels have dampened hopes of BoJ tightening in October.
  • GBP/JPY: key resistance lies ahead of 200.50, support is at the 199.20 area.

The British Pound is trimming Thursday’s losses on Friday, favoured by generalised Japanese Yen weakness, following relatively soft inflation figures in the Tokyo area. The pair has reached prices above the 200.00 level after bouncing at 199.55, but remains below a key resistance area ahead of 200.50

Data released on Thursday revealed that the advanced Tokyo CPI grew at a 2.5% yearly rate in September, down from 2.6% in August. The Core CPI remained steady at 2.5% against market expectations of an uptick to 2.6%. These figures give some more leeway to the BoJ to maintain its “wait-and-see” stance at its next monetary policy meeting, and have increased bearish pressure on the Yen.

Technical analysis: Looking for direction around 200.00

GBP/JPY Chart

The technical picture is mixed. The pair broke below an ascending trendline support, yet bears have been unable to pull the pair below 199.20. The 4-hour Relative Strength Index is wavering around the 50 level, indicating a lack of a clear bias.

Bulls will find significant resistance in the area between Thursday’s high, at 200.35, and the reverse trendline, now around 200.50. A confirmation above here would open the way towards the year-to-date high, at 201.27.

A reversal from current levels, on the contrary, would face support at the mentioned 199.20 (September 19 and 23 lows). Further down, the 78.6% retracement of the September rally, which meets the September 5 low at 198.65, and the September 2 low at 198.35, would be the next bearish targets.

(This story was corrected on September 26 at 10:10 GMT to say that the September 5 low is at 198.65 and the September 2 at 198.35, not at 168.65 and 1.1830 as previously reported.)

Japanese Yen Price Today

The table below shows the percentage change of Japanese Yen (JPY) against listed major currencies today. Japanese Yen was the strongest against the New Zealand Dollar.

USDEURGBPJPYCADAUDNZDCHF
USD-0.12%-0.11%-0.12%0.07%0.00%0.07%-0.06%
EUR0.12%0.05%0.07%0.24%0.20%0.25%0.08%
GBP0.11%-0.05%0.08%0.19%0.23%0.20%-0.00%
JPY0.12%-0.07%-0.08%0.15%0.09%0.16%-0.09%
CAD-0.07%-0.24%-0.19%-0.15%-0.06%0.03%-0.19%
AUD-0.01%-0.20%-0.23%-0.09%0.06%0.05%-0.15%
NZD-0.07%-0.25%-0.20%-0.16%-0.03%-0.05%-0.09%
CHF0.06%-0.08%0.00%0.09%0.19%0.15%0.09%

The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the Japanese Yen from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the US Dollar, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent JPY (base)/USD (quote).

Author

Guillermo Alcala

Graduated in Communication Sciences at the Universidad del Pais Vasco and Universiteit van Amsterdam, Guillermo has been working as financial news editor and copywriter in diverse Forex-related firms, like FXStreet and Kantox.

More from Guillermo Alcala
Share:

Editor's Picks

GBP/USD gathers strength to near 1.3300 on Burnham’s commitment to fiscal rules, NFP data loom

The GBP/USD pair gains traction to near 1.3290 during the Asian trading hours on Thursday. The British Pound strengthens against the US Dollar as the UK's likely next Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, has eased market concerns by pledging strict fiscal discipline. The US Nonfarm Payrolls data for June will take center stage later on Thursday.


EUR/USD nudges higher above 1.1350 on softer Fed stance, traders await US jobs data

The EUR/USD pair posts modest gains near 1.1380 during the early Asian session on Thursday. The US Dollar edges lower against the Euro on less hawkish remarks from Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh. Traders will closely monitor the US jobs data for June later on Thursday.


Gold finds acceptance above $4,000, but US NFP holds the key

Gold is looking to build on its previous recovery beyond the $4,000 mark early Thursday, with the next big move hinging on the critical US Nonfarm Payrolls data release.

Bitcoin recovers on Kevin Warsh optimism – Jupiter, Morpho lead rally

The broader cryptocurrency market is easing downside pressure, with US Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh's optimism about US growth driving Bitcoin above $60,000. Short liquidations outpace long liquidations over the last 24 hours, suggesting renewed near-term buying strength, while Jupiter and Morpho lead gains during the same period.

A preview of NFP

The number is of much greater importance than usual as the Fed moves away from a forecasting framework and towards a current-data/rebuilding-credibility framework.  While I have been pooh-poohing Warsh’s hawkish opener, I am also open to the idea that if he is serious about rebuilding credibility, he can find enough hawkish votes, and if June NFP is another hot one—July FOMC could be in play. 

Just like Fed, is BoJ’s independence under threat?

When talking about central bank independence, most of the focus has been on Donald Trump’s pressure on the Federal Reserve. But a similar story, a quieter one for now, seems to be happening on the other side of the Pacific: Japan’s government may be testing the Bank of Japan’s independence.