- USD/JPY caught fresh bids on Friday after the BoJ stuck to its accommodative policy stance.
- A goodish pickup in the USD demand provided an additional boost and remained supportive.
- A softer risk tone could benefit the safe-haven JPY and cap gains amid overbought conditions.
The USD/JPY pair extended its steady intraday ascent through the mid-European session and climbed to a fresh multi-year peak, around the 119.10-119.15 region in the last hour.
A combination of supporting factors assisted the USD/JPY pair to regain positive traction on the last day of the week and prolong its recent bullish trajectory witnessed over the past two weeks or so. The Bank of Japan stuck to its dovish stance and left its ultra-easy policy setting unchanged at the end of the March meeting. This, in turn, weighed on the Japanese yen and pushed the pair higher amid a goodish pickup in the US dollar demand.
The greenback made a solid comeback on Friday and reversed the previous day's slide to the one-week low, bolstered by the start of the policy tightening cycle by the Fed. It is worth recalling that the US central bank hike its target fund rate by 25 bps on Wednesday and indicated that it could raise interest rates at all the six remaining meetings in 2022. This, along with elevated US Treasury bond yields, underpinned the greenback.
The latest leg up now seems to have confirmed a near-term bullish breakout and might have already set the stage for a further near-term appreciating move for the USD/JPY pair. The divergence in the BoJ-Fed monetary policy outlook adds credence to the constructive outlook. That said, extremely overbought conditions on the daily chart could hold back traders from placing aggressive bullish bets, at least for the time being.
Moreover, a weaker risk tone, which tends to benefit the safe-haven Japanese yen, might further contribute to capping the USD/JPY pair. The lack of progress in the Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations tempered investors' appetite for riskier assets and led to a fresh leg down in the equity markets. Traders might also prefer to wait on the sidelines ahead of a meeting between US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
Nevertheless, the bias seems tilted firmly in favour of bullish traders, though the technical set-up makes it prudent to wait for some near-term consolidation or a modest pullback before the next leg up. Nevertheless, the USD/JPY pair seems all set to settle near the highest level since February 2016 and record strong gains for the second successive week.
Technical outlook
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.
The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
Recommended content
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD wavers near 1.0300 ahead of US CPI
EUR/USD keeps its range near 1.0300 in the European trading hours on Wednesday. The pair treads water amid a tepid risk sentiment ahead of the US CPI inflation data release. Subdued US Dollar supports the pair, offsetting the dovish ECB commentary.
GBP/USD recovers above 1.2200 despite softer UK inflation data
GBP/USD extends recovery above 1.2200 in the European session on Wednesday. The Pound Srerling shakes off a surprise cooldown in the UK inflation. The December UK CPI inflation fell to 2.5% YoY vs. 2.7% expected. The focus now shifts to US CPI data.
Gold recovers ahead of US CPI inflation data
Gold’s price recovers initial weekly losses and edges higher for the second day in a row, trading in the $2,680s on Wednesday, after a softer-than-expected United States PPI release the previous day triggered substantial easing in US yields.
US CPI inflation set to rebound in December, core to remain high
Inflation in the US, as measured by the CPI, is expected to rise by 2.9% annually in November, up slightly from 2.7% in November. Core CPI inflation, which strips out the more volatile food and energy categories, is projected to hold steady at 3.3% from a year earlier.
Donald Trump’s World Liberty Financial crypto holdings loss over $4.8 million
Lookonchain data shows that Trump’s backed DeFi platform World Liberty Financial faces a $4.84 million loss in its crypto holdings. WLFI’s X account announced routine crypto movements for treasury management, fees, and working capital needs.
Best Forex Brokers with Low Spreads
VERIFIED Low spreads are crucial for reducing trading costs. Explore top Forex brokers offering competitive spreads and high leverage. Compare options for EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, and Gold.