Japanese Yen builds on steady intraday ascent; USD/JPY nears 147.10 support zone

The Japanese Yen (JPY) attracts some buyers for the second straight day on Wednesday and drags the USD/JPY pair to a fresh daily low, around the 147.15 region heading into the European session. The initial market reaction to the mixed economic data from Japan turns out to be short-lived amid bets that the Bank of Japan (BoJ) will stick to the policy normalization path and hike interest rates by the year-end. This, along with the cautious market mood, turns out to be another factor that underpins the safe-haven JPY.

However, hopes for a Russia-Ukraine peace deal could act as a headwind for the JPY. The US Dollar (USD), on the other hand, climbs to over a one-week high in the wake of diminishing odds for a more aggressive policy easing by the Federal Reserve (Fed). This, in turn, helps limit the downside for the USD/JPY pair. Traders also seem reluctant and keenly await the release of the FOMC Minutes, which, along with Fed Chair Jerome Powell's speech at the Jackson Hole Symposium, should offer cues about the policy outlook.

Japanese Yen bulls retain intraday control amid hawkish BoJ expectations and cautions mood

• A report published by the Cabinet Office earlier this Wednesday showed that Japan's core Machinery Orders rose for the first time in three months, by 3% in June, defying market expectations for a 1% drop. The rise was led by the 8.8% surge in non-manufacturing orders, which masked weakness in the manufacturing sector, where orders fell 8.1%.
• Separately, data from the Ministry of Finance showed Japan’s exports dropped for the third straight month, by 2.6% from a year earlier in July amid fears over the impact of higher US tariffs. The contraction was sharper than consensus estimates of a 2.1% and marked the steepest decline in over four years, fueling concerns about the economic outlook.
• Further details revealed that imports decreased 7.5% YoY in July, versus a 10.4% drop expected. As a result, the Trade Balance stood at a deficit of ¥117.5 billion, compared with the forecast of a surplus of ¥196.2 billion. This, in turn, prompts fresh selling around the Japanese Yen (JPY), though the Bank of Japan's hawkish outlook helps limit further losses.
• In fact, the BoJ revised its inflation forecast at the end of the July meeting and reiterated that it will raise interest rates further if growth and inflation continue to advance in line with its estimates. This marks a significant divergence in comparison to bets that the US Federal Reserve (Fed) will resume its rate-cutting cycle at the September policy meeting.
• Moreover, traders are pricing in the possibility that the US central bank will lower borrowing costs by 25 basis points twice by the end of this year. This, in turn, might hold back traders from placing aggressive bullish bets around the US Dollar and lend support to the lower-yielding JPY, backing the case for a further depreciating move for the USD/JPY pair.
• Investors, however, trimmed their expectations for a jumbo interest rate cut by the Fed in September following last Thursday's release of a hotter US Producer Price Index, which rose in July at the fastest monthly pace since 2022. The data indicated a gain of momentum in price pressures and should allow the Fed to stick to its wait-and-see approach.
• Hence, market participants will closely scrutinize the July FOMC Minutes, due for release later during the US session, for cues about the Fed's rate-cut path. Apart from this, Fed Chair Jerome Powell's speech at the Jackson Hole Symposium will influence the near-term USD price dynamics and provide some meaningful impetus to the USD/JPY pair.

USD/JPY approaches 147.10-147.00 support zone; remains confined in a three-week-old range

From a technical perspective, Tuesday's failure to find acceptance above the 148.00 mark and the subsequent slide seem to favor the USD/JPY bears. However, neutral oscillators on the daily chart warrant some caution. Moreover, spot prices have been oscillating in a range over the past two weeks or so. This further makes it prudent to wait for strong follow-through selling before positioning for any further depreciating move.

In the meantime, the 147.10-147.00 area could act as an immediate support, below which the USD/JPY pair could accelerate the slide towards retesting the multi-week low, around the 146.20 zone, touched last Thursday. Some follow-through selling below the 146.00 mark should pave the way for some meaningful downside in the near term.

On the flip side, bulls might wait for sustained strength and acceptance above the 148.00 mark. The USD/JPY pair might then climb to the next relevant hurdle near the 148.55-148.60 region, or the 50% retracement level of the downfall from the monthly high, before aiming to reclaim the 149.00 round-figure mark.