EURJPY's Upward Momentum and Opportunities AheadThe EURJPY pair has shown promising strength after a corrective phase from its peak on March 21, 2024. Today, it successfully breached a significant resistance level at 163.322, providing a stronger confirmation of the existing bullish momentum. With this noteworthy breakout, the allure of a Long position becomes increasingly compelling.
Technical Analysis:
On the 4-hour timeframe, EURJPY is currently trading above several key moving averages, including the SMA 7, SMA 24, and SMA 150. This indicates clear bullish strength, especially after a prolonged correction period. The breakout from the resistance level at 163.322 adds confidence to further bullish momentum, with technical indicators suggesting potential for higher moves.
Fundamental Insights (JPY):
Despite the Bank of Japan's exit from negative interest rate policy, BOJ Governor Ueda has reiterated the commitment to continue purchasing Japan Bonds and refrain from raising interest rates. This monetary policy stance has triggered sustained weakness in the Japanese yen, evident from its recent depreciation. With supportive fundamental conditions, yen weakness adds impetus for the EURJPY pair to continue its bullish trend.
Trade Targets:
- Target 1: 164.414
- Target 2: 165.380
- Target 3: 167.252
These targets are calculated using Fibonacci ratios, with Target 3 reaching approximately 140% of the previous rally and the historical resistance. Each target offers potential for significant gains for traders entering Long positions.
Risks to Consider:
- Sudden shifts in market sentiment or unforeseen fundamental developments may impact the direction of EURJPY movements.
- Market volatility and the possibility of retracement during the journey towards the take profit targets should be duly noted.
With a strong confirmation of bullish breakout and support from both technical and fundamental analyses, Long positions in EURJPY present enticing profit opportunities. However, it is essential to remain vigilant of risks and manage them prudently with every trade executed.
Boj
USD/JPY slides to lowest level since 1990The Japanese yen has edged higher on Wednesday. In the European session, USD/JPY is trading at 151.17, down 0.26%.
The Bank of Japan raised interest rates last week for the first time since 2007. The move marked a sea-change in monetary policy. However, the tightening has not translated into gains for the Japanese yen, which remains under pressure. Earlier today, the yen fell as low as 151.97, its lowest level since 1990.
Will the yen’s slide trigger a currency intervention from Japan’s Ministry of Finance? The MOF intervened last October when the yen dropped to 151.94, which means we are clearly within “intervention territory”. The MOF’s response to the current decline, however, has been limited to verbal intervention.
On Monday, as the top currency diplomat, Masato Kanda, sent a warning to speculators that he was concerned by the yen’s slide, saying it did not reflect fundamentals. Earlier today, Japan’s finance minister, Shunichi Suzuki, warned that excessive movement by the yen would be answered with “decisive steps”.
Japanese officials have limited their response to the yen’s woes with jawboning but the risk of intervention is very real and will increase if the yen continues to lose ground. Still, it should be noted that last year’s interventions didn’t really get the job done, as yen gains were short-lived.
The lack of certainty as to whether Tokyo will intervene to prop up the yen could result in volatility for USD/JPY and investors will be listening carefully to every comment coming out of the BoJ or the MOF.
USD/JPY remains range-bound on the weekly chart:
152.58 and 153.70 are the next resistance lines\
There is support at 150.74 and 149.62
Tokyo Inflation to trigger yen Intervention? But at what price?Recent remarks made by Masato Kanda, Japan's vice-finance minister for international affairs, have led to heightened cautiousness regarding potential actions by authorities to support the yen through intervention.
The USD/JPY has comfortably surpassed the 150.000 threshold, which historically has prompting interventions by the Bank of Japan to limit the weakness in the yen. This precedent was observed in 2022 when the currency reached 151.950 against the US dollar.
But have the intervention goal posts moved?
Maybe only slightly. Credit Agricole’s FAST FX model suggests a selling strategy for USD/JPY if it crosses 152.20.
Anticipated inflation data for Tokyo, scheduled for release later this week, could serve as a potential trigger for intervention. A higher-than-expected reading may positively impact the JPY, indicating bullish sentiment and potentially help the BoJ avoid the need to intervene. Conversely, a lower-than-anticipated figure could exert a bearish influence on the JPY.
USD/JPY shrugs after BoJ core inflation dipsThe Japanese yen continues to have a quiet week. In the North American session, USD/JPY is trading at 151.36, down 0.03%.
Bank of Japan core inflation fell to 2.3% in February, down from 2.6% in January and shy of the market estimate of 2.5%. The release further complicates the inflation picture in Japan, as we continue to see inflation indicators heading in all directions. The BoJ core inflation index eased in February ,while the services producer price index climbed 2.1%, unchanged from January.
The BoJ made a massive pivot last week as it raised interest rates for the first time in 17 years. The central bank is counting on rising service inflation replacing cost-push inflation as the main driver of inflation, which it expects will make inflation sustainable around the 2% target.
The shift in monetary policy has not translated into a win for the yen, which is above the 151 line. There is the threat of currency intervention, as Tokyo intervened last September and October when USD/JPY rose above 152. Japanese officials are trying to jawbone the yen higher before resorting to intervention, with Japan’s top currency diplomat sending a warning on Monday to speculators from trying to sell of the yen, saying the currency’s recent slide did not reflect fundamentals.
In the US, it was a mixed day. Durable goods recovered in February with a gain of 1.4% m/m in February. This followed a 6.9% slide in January and beat the market estimate of 1.1%. The Conference Board consumer confidence index was almost unchanged at 104.7 in February, compared to 104.8 a month earlier. This was shy of the market estimate of 107.
USD/JPY tested support earlier at 151.35. Below, there is support at 151.13
151.64 and 151.86 are the next resistance lines
USD/JPY drifting at start of weekThe Japanese yen is showing limited movement on Monday. In the North American session, USD/JPY is trading at 151.25, down 0.13%.
Last week’s Bank of Japan was dramatic as the central bank raised interest rates for the first time since 2007. The move did not catch the markets completely by surprise, as some media reports ahead of the meeting said the BoJ would raise rates and investors were looking at both the March and April meetings as strong possibilities for a rate hike.
The yen did not respond to the rate hike with gains, as might have been expected. There are several reasons for this. First, the actual tightening was limited, with rates rising from -0.10% to 0.10%. This means that although the BoJ rate is now in positive territory, the move had little impact on the wide USD/JPY rate differential. BoJ Governor Ueda said after the meeting that despite the hike, monetary policy would remain accommodative, saying that there was “some distance to go” until inflation climbs to the 2% target.
As well, many investors approached the BoJ meeting with a “buy the rumour, sell the fact” approach and this resulted in heavy selling of the yen after the rate announcement. The yen slipped 1.60% last week and dropped as low as 151.86, its lowest level since November 2023.
The Japanese yen has dropped to levels that could invite intervention - the Ministry of Finance intervened last September and October when the yen dropped to around the 152 line. If the yen continues to lose ground, the threat of intervention will become greater.
In the US, the markets have priced in three rate cuts this year, and the Fed also projected three cuts this year at last week’s meeting. However, Atlanta Federal Reserve President Raphael Bostic sounded hawkish on Friday when he said that he expects only one quarter-point cut this year.
Bostic said that he was “definitely less confident than I was in December” that inflation will continue to drop towards the 2% target, as he noted that inflation remains stubbornly high and the US economy has been more resilient than he expected.
USD/JPY is putting pressure on resistance at 151.44. Above, there is resistance at 151.88
151.02 and 15058 are providing support
$JPIRYY -CPI (YoY)ECONOMICS:JPIRYY Japan Inflation Rate Lowest in A Year
The annual inflation rate in Japan fell to 3.0% in September 2023 from 3.2% in August, pointing to the lowest reading since September 2022.
Meantime, core inflation rate dropped to a 13-month low of 2.8%,
slightly above market consensus of 2.7% while staying outside the Bank of Japan's 2% target for the 18th month.
Core inflation rate dropped to a 13-month low of 2.8%, slightly above consensus of 2.7% while staying outside the Bank of Japan's 2% target for the 18th month. On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 0.3% in September, after a 0.2% gain in August. source: Ministry of Internal Affairs & Communications
source:
Ministry of Internal Affairs & Communications
BoJ Hikes Rates, the first time in 17 years!Yesterday, the Bank of Japan (BoJ) released its decision to end eight years of negative interest rates, adjusting the short-term policy rate to around 0.00% to 0.10%.
Although an interest rate hike is supposed to lead to the currency strengthening, the Yen weakened following the release of the news, with the USDJPY climbing higher from 149.40 toward the resistance level of 151.
The BoJ also indicated that while it will scrap its YCC framework (upper bound of 1% on 10-year JGBs) it will continue to buy some Japanese Government Bonds (JGBs), maintaining a Quantitative Easing (QE) approach, hence keeping some aspect of the accommodative policy.
Markets anticipate that this could be a one off adjustment, and the BoJ is unlikely to follow yesterday's rate decision with a series of rate hikes. This could be considered as a Dovish rate hike.
The divergence in monetary policies between the BoJ and the FOMC (and other major central banks) continues, which is likely the cause of the continued weakness of the Yen.
Today, the Yen has continued to weaken, with the USDJPY breaking above the round number resistance of 151, and is likely to retest the historic high of 151.90, last reached in November 2023.
Attention now shifts toward the FOMC.
EUR/JPY H4 | Could the BoJ finally raise interest rates today?EUR/JPY could fall towards a potential breakout level and drop lower from here should we see the BoJ finally raises interest rates today (19th March).
Sell entry is at 161.877 which is a potential breakout level.
Stop loss is at 162.800 which is a level that sits above an overlap resistance.
Take profit is at 160.380 which is a pullback support that aligns close to the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement level.
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USD/JPY soars as BoJ scraps negative ratesThe Japanese yen has taken a tumble on Tuesday. In the North American session, USD/JPY is trading at 150.67, up 1.02%.
The Bank of Japan hiked interest rates for the first time since 2007 at today’s meeting and also abolished the yield control curve to target interest rate at specific levels. There was a strong possibility that the BoJ might wait until April to tighten policy, but the fact that the BoJ did not deny media reports that the central bank would act today meant that the markets were not shocked that the move occurred today.
Interestingly, the yen has nosedived despite the BoJ tightening policy. This can be explained by the fact that the BoJ may have ended negative rates but the move was small, as rates have risen from -0.1% to a range of 0%-0.1%. This means that today’s rate hike did little to narrow the US/Japan interest rate differential.
The BoJ’s announcement made huge headlines but at the end of the day the central bank kept a dovish tone, which also weighed on the yen. Governor Ueda stressed that the BoJ’s monetary policy will remain accommodative, even with the end of negative rates.
Ueda noted that “there is still some distance to 2%, which would require maintaining an accommodative policy”. This means that the BoJ will not be entering a tightening cycle with a series of hikes as we’ve seen with the other major central banks in their battle to tame inflation.
In the US, it’s a very light week, with no tier-1 events on the data calendar. The markets will be keeping a close eye on the Federal Reserve’s rate announcement on Wednesday. The Fed is virtually certain to maintain the benchmark rate of 5%-5.25%, and investors will be combing the rate statement for any insights about a date for an initial rate cut.
USD/JPY has pushed above resistance at 149.98, which was protecting the 150 line. Above, there is resistance at 150.92
148.24 and 147.30 are providing support
Levels discussed on Livestream March 19th
DXY: Consolidate along 103.80, with continuation to upside to 104.30
NZDUSD: Buy 0.6065 SL 20 TP 60 (Counter Trend)
AUDUSD: Sell 0.6535 SL 20 TP 55
USDJPY: Complete retracement, Break above resistance, Buy 150.95 SL 30 TP 90
GBPUSD: Sell 1.2685 SL 30 TP 80
EURUSD: Sell 1.0860 SL 20 TP 50
USDCHF: Buy 0.8905 SL 20 TP 55
USDCAD: Test and bounce off support Buy 0.13555 SL 20 TP 60
Gold: Below 2145 could trade down to 2125 (DXY strength dependent)
GBPJPY: Thoughts and Analysis Post-BOJToday's focus: GBPJPY
Pattern – Continuation/resistance test?
Support – 188.20
Resistance – 191.15
Hi, traders; thanks for tuning in for today's update. Today, we are looking at the GBPJPY daily.
The BOJ lifted rates today to 0.10%, breaking the run of negative rates and showing a change in direction not seen since 2007. The BOJ also advised an end to yield curve control and ETF purchases.
This had a negative effect on the JPY and sent majors higher. The GBPJPY has added up to 0.73% in today's session and has come close to testing resistance. We want to see a break of resistance to show a new continuation higher. A stall at resistance could set up a new move lower.
If we see a new move to 190 and above, could we see the BOJ step in?
Good trading.
Analysis of RBA, BOJ, FOMC, SNB, BOE and the week aheadWeek of the 18th March (H4)
DXY: Stay below 50% (103.70) to maintain bearish view, could trade down to 102.40 support
NZDUSD: Buy 0.61 SL 30 TP 100
AUDUSD: Buy 0.6580 SL 40 TP 80 (Tuesday: RBA Decision)
USDJPY: Riskier: Sell 148.50 SL 80 TP 200 (Tuesday: BOJ Policy Decision)
GBPUSD: Buy 1.2760 SL 50 TP 100 (Thursday:BOE Voting)
EURUSD: Sell 1.0860 SL 30 TP 60 (If DXY strengthens)
USDCHF: Sell 0.8860 SL 35 TP 105 (Thursday: SNB decision)
USDCAD: Buy 1.3455 SL 30 TP 13 (Tuesday: CPI data)
Gold: Bounce off 2150 to retest high of 2200
BOJ to deliver 1st hike in 17 years tomorrow? There is possibly no bigger trading event this week than the Bank of Japan’s decision on Monday.
The groundwork for abandoning negative interest rates has been subtly laid since last year, and now, this could very well be the month they choose to make their move.
The prospect of ending a policy entrenched for nearly two decades could significantly move the USDJPY.
The catalyzing force for the BoJ to end negative interest rates are the substantial wage hikes big corporations and their labor unions agreed on this year.
On Friday, the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, the country's largest labor organization, disclosed that this year's annual wage negotiations produced remarkable outcomes. Major corporations witnessed an average hike of 5.28%, the largest wage increase in 33 years.
Because of this, The Bank of Japan could be thinking that the current economic climate is OK for sustaining a stable 2% inflation rate in an environment without negative interest rates.
Even in the eventuality of the negative rate policy ceasing, Governor Ueda has emphasized the continuity of accommodative monetary conditions. The BOJ will likely keep interest rates at zero percent. So, watch out for overreactions to this news too, and corrective moves in Yen pairs.
Currency most likely to rebound against USD next week? Next week's Federal Reserve interest rate decision possibly just got a lot more interesting.
Last night we got PPI data. In February, the producer price index, a key gauge of wholesale inflation, surged by 0.6%, surpassing expectations by more than double.
The big question now is whether traders will reassess their expectations for the timing of a Fed rate cut. Currently, the market is pricing in less than a 15% chance of a rate cut in May and a 60% likelihood in June.
This PPI report marks the final significant economic data released before the Federal Reserve's forthcoming policy meeting scheduled for March 19-20.
The USD dollar knocked back all its pairs after the PPI announcement. But which pairs are likely to stage a comeback?
The Japanese yen is possibly one of the best prospects in this regard. Traders will be looking for serious talk on Monday about the Bank of Japan ending it decades of extremely low-interest rates (or God-forbid an actual rate hike). The BoJ's Interest Rate Decision is slated for 11 pm on Monday.
Next week, we will also see the release of inflation data from Canada and the UK, adding potential volatility to USDCAD and GBPUSD pairs.
CHFJPY: Is the high in?Starting to see Yen strength materialise, with the BoJ looking to get out of the current cycle.
Surely Yen can't go much lower against all of the G10, so expecting some moves in the coming week.
We've been failing at the 171.8 high for weeks so this looks like consolidation to me now, ready for a push down.
Starting this week with the CHF PCI data this Tuesday, expecting to start seeing signs of cuts from the SNB so this could be a cross that moves.
USDJPY: Thoughts and Analysis (Pattern discussion)Today's focus: USDJPY
Pattern – Consolidation (Bullish?)
Support – 149.84
Resistance – 150.81, 151.745
Hi, traders; thanks for tuning in for today's update. Today, we are looking at the USDJPY on the daily chart.
Simple story today: will the current price consolidation break higher (with trend) or break lower, setting off distribution? We find it's important to break down patterns in the process and not just after they confirm or start to confirm so you can map out an action plan depending on what happens next with price.
Due to the situation with the BOJ, moves higher could set off intervention worries, and we also have Fed testimony and NFP this week for the USD.
Good trading.
Japanese yen steady ahead of Tokyo Core CPIThe Japanese yen is showing limited movement on Monday. In the European session, USD/JPY is trading at 150.34, up 0.13%.
Japan releases Tokyo Core CPI, considered the most important inflation indicator, on Tuesday. The index fell to 1.6% y/y in January, below expectations and the lowest rate since May 2022, but the market estimate for February stands at 2.5%.
Inflation remains a key factor for the Bank of Japan as it mulls exiting its ultra-loose monetary policy. According to a report on the weekend, the government is considering announcing an official end to deflation. This would be a symbolic move but would likely be viewed by the markets as another signal that Tokyo is planning to remove negative interest rates in the next several months. After years of an ultra-accommodative policy, such a move would mark a sea-change for the Bank of Japan and would likely give a strong boost to the ailing Japanese currency.
On Thursday, Bank of Japan board member Hajime Takata said that the BoJ must overhaul is ultra-loose monetary policy, including an end to negative rates and removing bond yield control. Takata added that the BoJ was “seeing prospects of achieving our 2% inflation target”.
The initial results of Japan’s annual wage negotiations will be released on March 15th, followed by the BoJ meeting on March 19. The wage talks are expected to result in workers receiving higher wages, which will likely result in higher inflation. The BoJ isn’t expected to make any policy changes at the March meeting, with April or June the likely dates for a major announcement.
There is resistance at 150.90 at 151.69
150.05 and 149.26 are providing support
CADJPY: Next stop the monthly falling trendline?There's not much in the way of this move from what I can see.
Yen continues to be the weakest currency in the G10 (for now, BoJ look set to intervene at some point this year) and for the short term I expect this to continue to meet the descending long-term trendline that's formed.
I'll be looking for sells around 115 with any LTF confirmation, but until then I'm going to be doing some long scalps not that local resistance has been broken and retested.
JPY Pairs at Key Resistance Overview
Most Yen pairs are at or nearing key resistance on daily, weekly, and monthly time-frames.
The Details
The Yen continues to weaken against global currencies due to negative interest rates set by the Bank of Japan (BOJ) and higher interest rates from the RBA, RBNZ, ECB, BOE, SNB, FED, etc.
The BOJ are edging closer to changing rates to zero or positive. This could strengthen the Yen, or at least stabilise the JPY selling.
The BOJ may intervene in the FX rate if JPY continues to weaken further, meaning possible JPY bullish volatility.
The Technicals
AUDJPY at weekly horizontal channel resistance
CHFJPY at monthly bullish channel resistance
GBPJPY nearing monthly horizontal resistance
NZDJPY at monthly horizontal resistance
SGDJPY at daily horizontal resistance and nearing previous daily trend support as resistance
USDJPY around weekly horizontal resistance