- The Yen trims losses after Ueda hinted at further monetary tightening.
- US PCE Prices Index and Friday's NFP report will set the Dollar's direction.
- USD/JPY is approaching an important support area above 151,65.
The Dollar has extended its pullback against a somewhat stronger Yen on Thursday as the Bank of Japan Governour, Kazuo Ueda hinted at a further interest rate hike “if conditions are met”.
The BoJ maintained its benchmark interest rate at 0.25%, as widely expected, but Ueda reiterated that the Bank remains committed to normalizing its monetary policy. The Yen appreciated across the board following the press release.
US data will set the Dollar's near-term direction
The focus today is on the US PCE Prices Index release, which is expected to show that inflation continued easing towards the Fed’s 2% target rate.
The highlight of the week, however, will be Friday’s Nonfarm Payrolls. The market consensus anticipates a significant decline although the strong ADP has improved market expectations.
The pair is now approaching the support area above 151.65. Below here, the next support is 150.60. Resistances are the previous support, at 152.77 and October’s peak, at 153.85.
Bank of Japan FAQs
The Bank of Japan (BoJ) is the Japanese central bank, which sets monetary policy in the country. Its mandate is to issue banknotes and carry out currency and monetary control to ensure price stability, which means an inflation target of around 2%.
The Bank of Japan embarked in an ultra-loose monetary policy in 2013 in order to stimulate the economy and fuel inflation amid a low-inflationary environment. The bank’s policy is based on Quantitative and Qualitative Easing (QQE), or printing notes to buy assets such as government or corporate bonds to provide liquidity. In 2016, the bank doubled down on its strategy and further loosened policy by first introducing negative interest rates and then directly controlling the yield of its 10-year government bonds. In March 2024, the BoJ lifted interest rates, effectively retreating from the ultra-loose monetary policy stance.
The Bank’s massive stimulus caused the Yen to depreciate against its main currency peers. This process exacerbated in 2022 and 2023 due to an increasing policy divergence between the Bank of Japan and other main central banks, which opted to increase interest rates sharply to fight decades-high levels of inflation. The BoJ’s policy led to a widening differential with other currencies, dragging down the value of the Yen. This trend partly reversed in 2024, when the BoJ decided to abandon its ultra-loose policy stance.
A weaker Yen and the spike in global energy prices led to an increase in Japanese inflation, which exceeded the BoJ’s 2% target. The prospect of rising salaries in the country – a key element fuelling inflation – also contributed to the move.
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
AUD/USD struggles near multi-month low below 0.6500 after Aussie jobs report
AUD/USD hangs near its lowest level since August 6 below the 0.6500 level following the release of rather unimpressive Australian employment details for October. Meanwhile, RBA Governor Michele Bullock said earlier on that interest rates were restrictive enough and will not rise any further.
USD/JPY briefly pops 156.00 on firmer US Dollar
USD/JPY holds firm near its highest level since July 24, having briefly popped 156.00 in the Asian session on Thursday. The continuation of the Trump trade lifts the US Dollar to yearly highs while Japan's stimulus plans fail to inspire the Yen. Traders watch out for any Japanese internvetion risks.
Gold downside appears unabated, with eyes on Fed Chair Powell
Gold price is sitting at its lowest level in two months near $2,560 early Thursday, as buyers eagerly await US Federal Reserve Jerome Powell’s speech for a brief respite.
XRP's open interest drops over 10% amid struggles near $0.7440 resistance
Ripple's XRP is trading near $0.6900, down nearly 3% on Wednesday, as declining open interest could extend its price correction. However, other on-chain metrics point to a long-term bullish setup.
Trump vs CPI
US CPI for October was exactly in line with expectations. The headline rate of CPI rose to 2.6% YoY from 2.4% YoY in September. The core rate remained steady at 3.3%. The detail of the report shows that the shelter index rose by 0.4% on the month, which accounted for 50% of the increase in all items on a monthly basis.
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.