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Yen rally fizzles, Tokyo Core CPI expected to riseThe Japanese yen is lower on Thursday, after climbing 2.4% over the past two trading sessions. In the European session, USD/JPY is trading at 151.83, up 0.57% on the day. On the data calendar, Japan releases Tokyo Core CPI. In the US, the financial markets are closed for the Thanksgiving holiday and there are no US events. Tokyo Core CPI, a leading indicator of nationwide inflation trends, will be released on Friday. The market estimate for November stands at 2.1% y/y, following a 1.8% gain in October, which was the lowest level since April. The headline rate is expected to rise from 1.8% to 1.9%. October inflation numbers have been mixed. The Bank of Japan Core CPI index surprised on the downside with a 1.5% gain, down from 1.7% in September. However, services inflation inched up to 2.9%, up from 2.8% in September and above the forecast of 2.5%. If the Tokyo inflation release accelerates as expected, it will likely raise expectations of a rate hike from the Bank of Japan at the Dec. 19 meeting. Inflation isn’t the only item on the minds of BoJ policymakers. There is significant political uncertainty both at home and abroad. Prime Minister Ishiba lost his majority in parliament in the October election and needs opposition support to pass a supplementary budget. In the US, President-elect Trump is threatening to slap tariffs on its trading partners, which could have massive negative implications for Japan’s auto industry, a key sector of the economy. On Wednesday, US GDP (second estimate) confirmed the initial estimate gain of 2.8% for the third quarter. This indicates solid economic growth, which has been helped by strong consumer spending. The worries about a recession have subsided and the Fed has signaled that it plans to gradually continue trimming interest rates. USD/JPY is testing resistance at 151.60. Above, there is resistance at 152.75 149.97 and 148.82 are the next support levels
by OANDA
Yen slips to 3-month low after Japanese electionThe Japanese yen is lower on Monday. In the European session, USD/JPY is trading at 152.63, up 0.22% at the time of writing. The yen weakened as far as 153.88 but has pared most of the losses. The new trading week has barely begun but the markets are busy digesting the drama out of Tokyo. The snap parliamentary election over the weekend was a disaster for new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, as his Liberal Democratic Party (LPD) coalition won just 215 seats, short of the 233 majority. Ishiba has been in power for only a month and the snap election backfired as the LDP lost its parliamentary majority for the first time since 2009. It’s unclear if Ishiba will be able to cobble together a majority and the political uncertainly could push the yen, which is trading at 3-month lows, even lower. The election bombshell comes just ahead of the Bank of Japan’s on Oct. 31. The BoJ is expected to maintain policy settings and will release updated growth and inflation forecasts. The BoJ has intervened in the past when the yen showed a sharp and quick decline and there is speculation that the central bank might intervene if the yen falls to 155 or 160 per dollar. The US wrapped up the week with mixed results. Durable Goods Orders declined 0.8% in September, unchanged from a revised -0.8% reading in August and above the market estimate of -1%. The UoM Consumer Sentiment index improved slightly to 70.5 in October, above 70.1 in September, beating the market estimate of 69.0. USD/JPY continues to push through resistance lines. The next resistance line is 153.94 152.03 and 151.68 are providing support
by OANDA
USD/JPY soars as rate hike hopes chilledThe yen has stabilized after massive losses last week. In the North American session, the USD/JPY is trading at 148.03 at the time of writing, up 0.45%. The yen is coming off a spectacularly bad week with a 4.5% decline. This marked the yen’s worst week since 2020, during the covid pandemic. The sharp decline was driven by the political drama in Japan, which included the election of Shigeru Ishiba as the new prime minister. Ishiba has supported the Bank of Japan tightening policy in the past, but he has taken a U-turn on monetary policy since being elected prime minister. Ishiba may have shifted his stance in order to avoid any divisive issues, such as raising interest rates, ahead of the snap election on October 27. The election will be followed by the next BoJ meeting on October 31, with the BoJ expected to maintain its policy settings. On Wednesday, Ishiba met with BoJ Governor Ueda and said that Japan did not need to raise rates further. In a speech to parliament on Friday, Ishiba pledged to defeat deflation, a message which signaled a continuation of “Abenomics”, which advocates an accommodative policy. The yen slid 1.1% on Friday as expectations for a rate hike have evaporated. Ishiba’s dovish stance and comments by BoJ officials that it the Bank will be extremely cautious before raising rates has dashed expectations for a near-term rate hike and made the Japanese currency less attractive to investors. The US labor market surprised to the upside, as September nonfarm payrolls surged by 254 thousand, up from a revised 159 thousand in August and blowing past the market estimate of 140 thousand. This was the strongest job report in six months. The unemployment rate dipped lower to 4.1%, compared to 4.2% in August and below the market estimate of 4.2%. The markets have raised the odds of a 25-basis point cut at the Fed November meeting to 87%, compared to 65% one week ago. USD/JPY tested support at 147.89 earlier. Below, there is support at 146.78 There is resistance at 149.86 and 150.97
by OANDA
Japanese yen slides as political drama continuesThe yen is sharply lower on Wednesday. In the European session, the USD/JPY is trading at 144.82 at the time of writing, up 0.89%. In Japan, the dust is yet to settle on the political drama. On Tuesday, the new Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, appointed Katsunobu Kato as finance minister. Kato is a supporter of “Abenomics” which advocates monetary easing. This could complicate the BoJ’s plans to tighten policy and the yen has responded with sharp losses today. Ishiba is on record for supporting a tighter policy but may have chosen Kato to ease concerns that Ishiba will make a significant shift in monetary policy with a snap election on October 27. The election will be followed by the next BoJ meeting on October 31, with the BoJ expected to maintain its policy settings. Manufacturing continues to sputter in both the US and Japan. The Japanese manufacturing PMI eased to a revised 49.7 in September, down from 49.8 in August and above the market estimate of 49.6. This was the third straight month of contraction in factory activity, with a strong decrease in export orders. Business confidence dropped to its lowest since December 2022, as manufacturers don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel for the troubled manufacturing sector. In the US, the ISM manufacturing PMI was unchanged in September at 47.2, below the market estimate of 47.5. The contraction in manufacturing has extended for six straight months. New orders decreased in September, demand remains weak and manufacturers face uncertainty over the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy and the upcoming US election. USD/JPY has pushed above resistance at 143.69 and 144.41. Above, there is resistance at 145.25 There is support at 142.85 and 142.13
by OANDA
Japanese yen soars on Japan’s political dramaThe Japanese yen has steadied on Monday after posting huge gains on Friday. USD/JPY is trading at 142.43 in the European session, up 0.15%. The yen soared on Friday but it was in response to political rather than economic developments. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) unexpectedly chose Shigeru Ishiba as its new leader and he will take over as Prime Minister on Tuesday. Ishiba’s win was a surprise as Economic Minister Sanae Takaichi was expected to win the LDP leadership race. The financial markets reacted sharply – the Japanese yen soared 2.1% on Friday while the Japanese stock market is sharply lower today. Takaichi is a strong supporter of lower interest rates while Ishiba favors the Bank of Japan’s moves towards normalization. Ishiba said today that he will call a snap election on October 27, which he is almost certain to win. Ishiba’s election would be a green light for the BoJ to continue tightening policy which would make the yen more attractive to investors. Overshadowed by the political drama was Monday’s Japanese data, which was a mix. Industrial production slid 3.3% m/m in August, after a 3.1% gain in July and well short of the market estimate of -0.9%. Yearly, industrial production declined 4.9%, compared to a 2.9% gain in July. There was better news from retail sales, which rose 0.8% m/m in August, up from 0.2% in July and a three-month high. Yearly, retail sales climbed 2.8%, up from a revised 2.7% in July and above the market consensus of 2.3%. Inflation remains under control and this was reiterated on Friday by the US Core PCE Price Index, the Fed’s preferred inflation indicator. The index rose 0.1% m/m in August, a three-month low. This was down from 0.2% in July and below the market estimate of 0.2%. Yearly, Core PCE ticked up to 2.7%, after three consecutive months at 2.6% and in line with expectations. USD/JPY tested resistance at 142.86 earlier. Above, there is resistance at 143.19 There is support at 142.26 and 141.93
by OANDA