- USD/JPY remains mildly bid while consolidating the previous day’s losses amid pre-NFP anxiety.
- Japan’s household spending grew, real wages eased in June.
- Yields snap two-day downtrend but the 10-year, 2-year inversion portray economic fears.
- China’s missiles landed on Japan’s exclusive economic zone and propelled geopolitical fears.
USD/JPY seesaws around the intraday high of 133.35, near 133.10 by the press time, as firmer Treasury yields join mixed Japan data to recall buyers after the previous day’s fall. It’s worth noting that the cautious mood ahead of the US monthly employment report also seemed to have favored the yen pair’s rebound.
That said, Japan’s Households Spending grew 1.5% MoM and 3.5% YoY in June versus 0.2% and 1.5% marked forecasts. Further, Labor Cash Earnings rose to 2.2% YoY during the stated month compared to 2.1% expected. It should be noted, however, that the read wages eased to -0.4% YoY in June. Given the mixed data, the Bank of Japan (BOJ) is more likely to continue with its ultra-easy monetary policy.
Elsewhere, the US Initial Jobless Claims rose to 260K for the week ended on July 30 versus 254K prior and 259K expected. Further, job cuts eased and German Factory Orders improved while the US Goods and Services Trade Balance improved to $-79.6B versus $-80.1B market consensus and $-84.9B revised prior.
It should be noted that the US 10-year Treasury yields stabilize around 2.069% after declining in the last two days. Even so, the US Treasury yields continued to portray the risk of recession as the difference between the 10-year and 2-year bond coupons remain the widest since 2000.
In addition to the yields, news that China’s missiles landed on Japan’s exclusive economic zones raised market fears. The dragon nation conducted heavy military drills near the Taiwan border after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei against Beijing’s warning.
Against this backdrop, Wall Street closed mixed and the S&P 500 Futures print mild gains while taking rounds to the two-month high flashed the previous day, up 0.23% intraday around 4,162 by the press time.
Looking forward, USD/JPY traders should pay attention to the risk catalysts and yields ahead of the US Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) for July, expected 250K versus 372K prior, for clear directions.
Also read: Nonfarm Payrolls Preview: High expectations set deal the dollar a blow, create buying opportunity
Technical analysis
USD/JPY seesaws between the 50-DMA and the 100-DMA, respectively around 134.80 and 130.65 amid sluggish markets.
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 holds above 1.0700 ahead of key US data
EUR/USD trades in a tight range above 1.0700 in the early European session on Friday. The US Dollar struggles to gather strength ahead of key PCE Price Index data, the Fed's preferred gauge of inflation, and helps the pair hold its ground.
USD/JPY stays above 156.00 after BoJ Governor Ueda's comments
USD/JPY holds above 156.00 after surging above this level with the initial reaction to the Bank of Japan's decision to leave the policy settings unchanged. BoJ Governor said weak Yen was not impacting prices but added that they will watch FX developments closely.
Gold price oscillates in a range as the focus remains glued to the US PCE Price Index
Gold price struggles to attract any meaningful buyers amid the emergence of fresh USD buying. Bets that the Fed will keep rates higher for longer amid sticky inflation help revive the USD demand.
Sei Price Prediction: SEI is in the zone of interest after a 10% leap
Sei price has been in recovery mode for almost ten days now, following a fall of almost 65% beginning in mid-March. While the SEI bulls continue to show strength, the uptrend could prove premature as massive bearish sentiment hovers above the altcoin’s price.
US core PCE inflation set to signal firm price pressures as markets delay Federal Reserve rate cut bets
The core PCE Price Index, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, is seen as the more influential measure of inflation in terms of Fed positioning. The index is forecast to rise 0.3% on a monthly basis in March, matching February’s increase.