- A combination of diverging forces fails to provide any impetus to USD/JPY on Wednesday.
- The UD languishes near a multi-week low amid a further pullback in the US bond yields.
- The Fed-BoJ policy divergence continues to act as a tailwind and helps limit the downside.
- Traders also seem to prefer to wait on the sidelines ahead of the BoJ decision on Thursday.
The USD/JPY pair struggles to gain any meaningful traction and oscillates in a narrow band through the first half of trading on Wednesday. The pair is currently placed just above the 148.00 mark and remains well within the previous day's broader trading range.
The US dollar languishes near a three-week low and turns out to be a key factor acting as a headwind for the USD/JPY pair. The softer US macro data released on Tuesday pointed to signs of a slowdown in the world's largest economy and might force the Federal Reserve to its hawkish stance. This led to a further decline in the US Treasury bond yields, which continues to weigh on the greenback.
The Japanese yen, on the other hand, draws support from the recent currency market intervention by the government. Apart from this, a softer tone around the equity markets offers additional support to the safe-haven JPY. That said, a bid divergence in the policy stance adopted by the US central bank and the Bank of Japan helps limit the downside for the USD/JPY pair, at least for the time being.
The Fed is still expected to hike interest rates by 75 bps in November and continue with its policy tightening path, albeit at a slower pace. The BoJ, on the other hand, remains committed to its ultra-loose monetary policy settings. This, in turn, suggests that the path of least resistance for the USD/JPY pair is to the upside, though bulls seem reluctant ahead of the BoJ meeting on Thursday.
Heading into the key central bank event risk, reluctance to place aggressive bets could lead to an extension of the USD/JPY pair's range-bound price action. Market participants now look to the US New Home Sales data for some impetus later during the early North American session. This, along with the US bond yields, and the broader market risk sentiment might influence the major.
Technical levels to watch
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 edges lower toward 1.0700 post-US PCE
EUR/USD stays under modest bearish pressure but manages to hold above 1.0700 in the American session on Friday. The US Dollar (USD) gathers strength against its rivals after the stronger-than-forecast PCE inflation data, not allowing the pair to gain traction.
GBP/USD retreats to 1.2500 on renewed USD strength
GBP/USD lost its traction and turned negative on the day near 1.2500. Following the stronger-than-expected PCE inflation readings from the US, the USD stays resilient and makes it difficult for the pair to gather recovery momentum.
Gold struggles to hold above $2,350 following US inflation
Gold turned south and declined toward $2,340, erasing a large portion of its daily gains, as the USD benefited from PCE inflation data. The benchmark 10-year US yield, however, stays in negative territory and helps XAU/USD limit its losses.
Bitcoin Weekly Forecast: BTC’s next breakout could propel it to $80,000 Premium
Bitcoin’s recent price consolidation could be nearing its end as technical indicators and on-chain metrics suggest a potential upward breakout. However, this move would not be straightforward and could punish impatient investors.
Week ahead – Hawkish risk as Fed and NFP on tap, Eurozone data eyed too
Fed meets on Wednesday as US inflation stays elevated. Will Friday’s jobs report bring relief or more angst for the markets? Eurozone flash GDP and CPI numbers in focus for the Euro.