|

USD/JPY set to reach the 125 mark soon – ING

USD/JPY continued its rally yesterday in line with yet another sell-off in bonds. Economists at ING expect the pair to reach the 125 level in the near-term. Meanwhile, the fierce hawkish re-pricing of Fed tightening expectations is set to offer a positive undercurrent to the dollar, mostly to the detriment of low-yielders. 

USD/JPY may touch 125 soon

“We still believe USD can count on the supportive undercurrent offered by rising hawkish bets on Fed tightening. Expectations about half-percentage increases have been boosted by recent comments by Chair Jerome Powell and other FOMC members (like James Bullard) and we are seeing markets moving to price in two back-to-back 50bp hikes in May and June (an option that is around 35% embedded into money market pricing).”

“Another question for the dollar is where markets find comfort with their expectations on the Fed’s terminal rate, which are currently around 2.75%, but may soon reach 3.00%. We think this is an environment that should favour the dollar, net of risk-sentiment swings, especially against low-yielders (exposed to higher yields) and European currencies (exposed to lingering uncertainty in Ukraine).”

“After easily breaking above 120, we think a USD/JPY move to 125 in the near-term is likely given the combination of upbeat risk sentiment and rising hawkish bets on the Fed.”

Author

FXStreet Insights Team

The FXStreet Insights Team is a group of journalists that handpicks selected market observations published by renowned experts. The content includes notes by commercial as well as additional insights by internal and external analysts.

More from FXStreet Insights Team
Share:

Markets move fast. We move first.

Orange Juice Newsletter brings you expert driven insights - not headlines. Every day on your inbox.

By subscribing you agree to our Terms and conditions.

Editor's Picks

EUR/USD moves sideways below 1.1800 on Christmas Eve

EUR/USD struggles to find direction and trades in a narrow channel below 1.1800 after posting gains for two consecutive days. Bond and stock markets in the US will open at the usual time and close early on Christmas Eve, allowing the trading action to remain subdued. 

GBP/USD keeps range around 1.3500 amid quiet markets

GBP/USD keeps its range trade intact at around 1.3500 on Wednesday. The Pound Sterling holds the upper hand over the US Dollar amid pre-Christmas light trading as traders move to the sidelines heading into the holiday season. 

Gold retreats from record highs, trades below $4,500

Gold retreats after setting a new record-high above $4,520 earlier in the day and trades in a tight range below $4,500 as trading volumes thin out ahead of the Christmas break. The US Dollar selling bias remains unabated on the back of dovish Fed expectations, which continues to act as a tailwind for the bullion amid persistent geopolitical risks.

Bitcoin slips below $87,000 as ETF outflows intensify, whale participation declines

Bitcoin price continues to trade around $86,770 on Wednesday, after failing to break above the $90,000 resistance. US-listed spot ETFs record an outflow of $188.64 million on Tuesday, marking the fourth consecutive day of withdrawals.

Economic outlook 2026-2027 in advanced countries: Solidity test

After a year marked by global economic resilience and ending on a note of optimism, 2026 looks promising and could be a year of solid economic performance. In our baseline scenario, we expect most of the supportive factors at work in 2025 to continue to play a role in 2026.

Avalanche struggles near $12 as Grayscale files updated form for ETF

Avalanche trades close to $12 by press time on Wednesday, extending the nearly 2% drop from the previous day. Grayscale filed an updated form to convert its Avalanche-focused Trust into an ETF with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.