Japanese Stocks Have Room for More Upside?Do Japanese stocks have room for move upside? It has been one of the best-performing markets since COVID.
And what is the key reason for this rally? A falling Yen.
Where is the Yen heading and do the Japanese stocks have room for more upside?
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NZDJPY breaks 200-day SMA; downward movement imminent?The New Zealand dollar to Japanese yen currency pair (NZD/JPY) saw an uptrend on the daily chart from March 2020 to July 2024, gaining 66.58% over the four-year period.
Recently, however, the pair broke below the 200-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) on the daily chart, signaling a potential trend reversal. The 200-day SMA, which had served as support for four years, now appears to be acting as resistance.
Additionally, the NZD/JPY formed a double top, indicating that buyers were once more unable to push the price above the 92.00 mark. This double top region coincides with the 50% level of the bearish Fibonacci.
Upward trend in NZDJPY driven by RBNZ-BOJ interest rate differential
The strong upward trend had been driven by the interest rate differential between the New Zealand dollar and the Japanese yen.
New Zealand, like many countries around the world, slashed interest rates during the COVID-19 pandemic to stimulate its economy. However, as the economy began to recover, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) moved to raise rates to control inflation and avoid rampant price increases.
With inflation now under control, the RBNZ has started cutting rates, with yesterday marking the third consecutive cut, as the central bank reduced New Zealand’s key interest rate from 5.25% to 4.75%.
Japan, on the other hand, followed the opposite path, keeping its interest rate below 0 while other countries raised borrowing costs to control inflation — which is why the JPY has depreciated so much in recent years.
However, in its most recent meetings, the Bank of Japan (BOJ) — Japan’s central bank — changed its stance and raised interest rates for the first time since 2016.
With New Zealand’s interest rate declining and Japan’s interest rate increasing, there is potential for a medium-term devaluation of the NZD against the JPY.
Downward movement in NZDJPY possible in coming months
From a technical perspective, the following factors are at play:
1. Break of the uptrend on D1.
2. The 200-day SMA, which previously acted as support, is now serving as resistance.
3. A double top has formed on the daily chart.
4. The 50% Fibonacci region is bearish.
Considering these technical factors and the diverging monetary policies of the central banks in Japan and New Zealand, a downward movement in NZD/JPY is possible in the coming months.
If the price manages to break below 89.75, it is possible that it will fall to the 86.70 region in a few days.
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USDJPY Rebound Faces Pushback at Key ResistanceAfter the Fed’s jumbo pivot in September and aggressive easing path, Chair Powell adopted a more reserved approach at the start of the previous week. The cautious messaging was extrapolated at the end of that same week by the strong jobs report. Markets have now priced out bets for another outsized move, expecting 50 bps of cuts by the end of the year, in line with the Fed’s projections.
At the same time, the Bank of Japan has shifted to a more patient approach to monetary tightening, after last month's hold, removing guidance for further hikes ahead. The August deceleration in wage growth adds a reason for caution, while the current political landscape does not favor aggressive tightening. With elections due later this month, the new Prime Minister does not see the need for more hikes.
As a result of these developments, USD/JPY posted its best week of the year and extends its gains into the daily Ichimoku Cloud, testing the pivotal 38.2% Fibonacci. This creates scope for further recovery towards 151.90, but we are cautious about sustained advance as the upside is unfriendly technically and fundamentally.
Inflation (ex-fresh food) in Japan has been rising for the past four months and remains above the 2% target for more than two years, wages are elevated and GDP posted strong growth in Q2. One more rate hike within the year is still reasonable and BoJ officials still see more tightening if the economy evolves as projected. Chair Powell may have struck a more cautious tone, but officials still expect another 150 bps of cuts by the end of next year, so the broader policy dynamics remains unfavorable for USD/JPY.
The pair faces pushback at the 38.2% Fibonacci and rejection could send it back below the EMA200 (black line) and reaffirm the bearish bias. This would in turn create scope for new 2024 lows (139.57), although strong catalyst would be required.
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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
USDJPY Analysis: Slightly Bullish Bias on 02/10/2024. As we head into the 2nd of October 2024, the USDJPY currency pair shows signs of a slightly bullish bias. Several key factors, including fundamental drivers and technical market conditions, support this outlook. Traders and investors looking for insights into the pair should consider the following factors influencing USDJPY today.
1. US Dollar Strength
The US dollar has been supported by strong economic data coming out of the US, especially with the continued resilience in the labor market. The Non-Farm Payroll (NFP) report scheduled later this week is anticipated to reflect strong employment trends, which may lead to speculation that the Federal Reserve could maintain its hawkish stance on interest rates. This has kept the USD well-supported across the board, and USDJPY is no exception. Higher interest rate expectations typically benefit the USD, making it more attractive to investors seeking yield.
2. Bank of Japan’s Monetary Policy
On the other side, the Bank of Japan (BoJ) remains committed to its ultra-loose monetary policy. With inflation in Japan still struggling to gain significant traction, the BoJ is unlikely to shift its dovish stance in the near term. The interest rate differential between the US and Japan continues to widen, favoring USDJPY bulls. This divergence in policy is one of the major contributors to the bullish sentiment in the pair.
3. Risk Sentiment and Safe-Haven Demand
Global risk sentiment has improved slightly, leading to reduced demand for safe-haven assets such as the Japanese yen. The yen typically strengthens in times of market uncertainty, but with equities stabilizing and geopolitical tensions easing, there’s less of a need for safe-haven assets today. This reduces demand for the yen and lends support to USDJPY’s bullish outlook.
4. Technicals Pointing to Upside
From a technical perspective, USDJPY has broken above key resistance levels in recent sessions. The pair is trading above its 50-day and 100-day moving averages, signaling strong upward momentum. Additionally, the RSI (Relative Strength Index) remains in neutral territory, allowing room for further upside without signaling overbought conditions. If USDJPY can hold above the 149.00 psychological level, further gains toward the 150.00 mark are possible.
5. Upcoming Economic Events
While no major Japanese economic releases are expected today, traders should keep an eye on US data releases, particularly any statements from Federal Reserve officials. Any hawkish commentary could further fuel USDJPY’s bullish trajectory.
Conclusion
In summary, the fundamental and technical factors point toward a slightly bullish bias for USDJPY on 02/10/2024. The ongoing divergence between the Federal Reserve’s hawkish stance and the BoJ’s dovish policy, coupled with solid US economic data and improving risk sentiment, supports this outlook. Traders should remain mindful of any new developments in the US that could further impact the pair’s direction.
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This article provides a comprehensive overview of the potential USDJPY movement today, offering valuable insights for forex traders looking to capitalize on the pair’s slightly bullish bias.
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
Hedging Yen amid bullish Nikkei outlook? The Nikkei-225 is trading near 40,000 once more. The sharp decline in early August due to the BoJ rate hike has been swiftly reversed. The outlook for the Nikkei remains bullish with continued investor interest driven by market reforms as well as foreign investor interest.
With the BoJ currently on pause and signalling no urgency to raise rates further, the Nikkei appears poised to retest its all-time high set in July. However, the significant influence of monetary policy on the Yen makes it advantageous to hedge a Nikkei position with a long Yen position. This approach offers similar upside potential while reducing downside risk.
BOJ ON HOLD FOLLOWING FALLOUT FROM RATE HIKE
The BoJ decided to maintain rates at 0.25% during its September 20 meeting. Their statement indicated that the economy is on a recovery path aligned with the BoJ's mandate, upgrading its assessment of consumption from a "resilient trend" in July to a "moderate increasing trend."
Governor Ueda noted that the recent yen strengthening is reducing inflationary pressures, signalling positive trends for the economy in line with the BoJ's mandate.
During the September 20 meeting, he reiterated that the BoJ would not raise rates amid market instability, which they attribute to recession risks in the U.S.
This cautious approach likely results from the fallout after the BoJ raised rates to a 15-year high at its July 31 meeting. This decision triggered a sharp yen appreciation and a significant unwind of the yen carry trade, leading to a global decline in equities fuelled by fear. The Nikkei-225 dropped over 20% in the following week, erasing all gains made in 2024.
MARKET STABILITY ANOTHER CONCERN FOR BOJ
The BoJ's policy mandate focuses on achieving sustainable economic growth through wage growth and consumption while maintaining a stable 2% inflation rate. Under Governor Ueda's leadership, the BoJ aims for a neutral policy rate that is neither overly restrictive nor too accommodative, indicating that rates must increase from their current excessively loose levels.
However, following the market reaction to the July 31 policy meeting, the BoJ faces an additional mandate: balancing its monetary policy trajectory with the risks of market volatility and its effects on business stability.
This additional mandate introduces a complex variable into the BoJ’s monetary policy balancing act, making it prudent for the BoJ to wait and assess the effects of policy changes. As Governor Ueda stated during the policy announcement, "We can afford to spend some time in making a policy decision."
The BoJ has two remaining policy meetings scheduled for 2024: October 30 and December 18. Following Governor Ueda's recent statement highlighting risks from market volatility, analysts unanimously agreed that September policy meeting would not result in a hike but majority still expect another hike by the end of the year.
With the recent encouraging inflation prints, BoJ has room to hike rates towards the end of the year.
PAUSE RATHER THAN HALT
The decision to maintain rates may signal a pause rather than a halt to rate hikes.
Governor Ueda indicated in an August parliamentary hearing that the BoJ would continue to raise rates if economic data aligns with expectations. With inflation around the target range, BoJ has room to raise rates further.
Additionally, the recent election concluded with Shigeru Ishiba becoming the next Prime Minister. The former defense minister has backed the BoJ's rate hike strategy and expressed concerns about yen depreciation. His leadership may foster political support for further rate increases in Japan.
Finally, recession fears in the US are subsiding with recent jobs data and GDP figures above expectations. This may help ease market instability concerns for the BoJ.
JAPAN EQUITIES REMAIN COMPELLING, ATTRACTING INFLOWS
Japan equities remain compelling for foreign investors. The TSE’s recent market reforms have led to a material improvement in the firm’s balance sheets with higher utilization of capital in the form of both returns to shareholders and capital expenditure.
Furthermore, Japan equities remains undervalued despite the massive improvement in valuations this year. While, the P/B ratio for Nikkei-225 has increased from 1.75 to 1.93 over the past year, the P/E ratio has remained largely unchanged at 20.88 (compared to 19.38 last year). The much unchanged P/E ratio reflects the strong earnings growth despite the 23% rally in the index.
The potential undervaluation has attracted global value investors including Warren Buffet. Warren Buffet has built up large positions in Japanese trading houses with the value totalling nearly USD 25 billion as of 12/June. Buffet has previously opted to increase stakes in these investments when they traded at P/E similar to the level during the downturn in August.
Furthermore, YTD inflows into Nomura Nikkei 225 Fund (NTETF) have totalled USD 891 million. While the fund is only available OTC in the US, it is one of the largest Japan equity ETF with USD 71 billion in AUM. Notably, inflows into the ETF have been concentrated after large declines this year suggesting investors are using decline in price to increase positions.
CHINA STIMULUS ADDS FURTHER WIND IN NIKKEI SAILS
The announcement of the massive stimulus package in China last week has supported most Asian equity markets with the rising tide of Chinese equities rippling through Japanese equities.
As the positive sentiment in China continues, other Asian indices are likely to benefit too.
HYPOTHETICAL TRADE SETUP
The Nikkei-225 is supported by strong tailwinds including market reforms that support foreign investment and a positive sentiment in Asia equities.
However, given the market reaction to the previous BoJ rate hike, monetary policy and Yen moves remain a pertinent concern for the Nikkei.
Nikkei and Yen are inversely correlated. The correlation is particularly tight during periods of Nikkei decline.
With the Yen remaining volatile from the impact of monetary policy, hedging a long position in Nikkei-225 with a long position in the JPYUSD is prudent.
A combined position of being long on both the Nikkei-225 and the Yen has delivered similar gains to a long position in the Nikkei-225 over the past three months. However, the combined position has also offered crucial downside protection, outperforming during periods of market decline.
The Yen remains on an uptrend, supported by both a weakening dollar from Fed rate cuts and a strengthening yen from BoJ rate hikes.
A position consisting of long CME Nikkei (USD) futures can be combined with a position consisting of 2 x long CME Japanese Yen futures to roughly balance notional across both legs. Investors can also deploy 21 x long CME Micro JPY/USD futures to balance notional more closely. CME provides margin offset amounting to 35% as of 27/Sept for this trade which reduces margin requirements from USD 18,720 to USD 12,168.
A hypothetical trade setup consisting of long 1 x CME Nikkei (USD) December futures and long 21 x CME Micro JPY/USD December futures offering reward to risk ratio of 1.43x is provided below.
MARKET DATA
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Japanese yen soars as Tokyo Core CPI falls to 2%The Japanese yen is sharply higher on Friday. USD/JPY is trading at 143.49 in the European session, down a massive 1.1%.
Tokyo Core CPI, which excludes fresh food, slowed to 2% in September, down from 2's.4% in August and matching the market estimate. The drop was largely driven by the resumption of government subsidies for utility bills.
The inflation reading indicates that Japan is on track to hit the Bank of Japan’s target of sustainable 2% inflation and the yen has responded with sharp gains today. This reading will support the case for further rate hikes, although that’s unlikely until December or early next year.
Governor Ueda said this week that the BoJ is not in any rush to hike rates and that the focus will be on services prices data for October, which won’t be released until November, too late for the October 31 meeting. Wages have been rising but it remains to be seen if this will translate into higher services inflation. If it does, there will be pressure on the BoJ to raise rates at the December meeting.
The week wraps up with US Core PCE Price Index, which is considered the Fed’s preferred inflation indicator. The index has hovered at 2.6% for the past three months and is expected to tick up to 2.7% for August. Monthly, the Core PCE is expected to remain at 0.2%. An unexpected reading could shake up the US dollar and the rate-cut odds for the Fed’s November meeting. The odds of a 50-basis point cut have slipped to 47%, down from 54% a day earlier, according to the CME’s FedWatch tool.
USD/JPY faces weekly resistance lines at 147.58 and 150.66
There is support at 142.67 and 140.84
USD/JPY jumps as BoJ Core CPI stallsThe Japanese yen is sharply lower on Wednesday. In the North American session, USD/JPY is trading at 144.49, up 0.89% at the time of writing.
The Bank of Japan is expected to raise interest rates and continue on the path to normalization. The BoJ lifted rates out of negative territory in March but rates are barely above zero and the markets are expecting further hikes, although the timing remains unclear. This has made the BoJ an outlier among the major central banks, which have lowered rates in response to falling inflation.
In Japan, inflation has been on the rise and hit 3.0% in August after running at 2.8% in the prior three months. The BoJ has signaled that it will raise rates but has been cautious, and Governor Ueda said on Tuesday that the central bank can afford to wait and is not in any rush to hike rates.
The US Conference Board consumer confidence index is usually not a market-mover but a very soft reading on Tuesday sent the US dollar lower against most of the major currencies. The index slipped to 98.7 in September, down sharply from a revised 105.6 in August and below the market estimate of 103.8. The US labor market has deteriorated and consumers are worried about job security.
The US releases GDP (third estimate) for the second quarter with a forecast of 3.0%. This would confirm the second estimate and point to stronger economic growth after a 1.4% gain in the first quarter. Still, the Fed may be planning another jumbo rate cut – the markets have priced in a 50-basis point cut at the next meeting in November, according to CME’s FedWatch.
USD/JPY has pushed above resistance at 143.67 and 144.23. Above, there is resistance at 145.23
There is support at 142.67 and 142.11
BTC - 9/24/2024Historically, unemployment and inflation tend to alternate each other- hence the Philips inversion curve and other trading philosophies.
Inflation is not necessarily under check in my opinion, but retail and establishments are eyeing up entries here as central banks like the ECB, BOJ, and Fed start cutting their interest rates as job numbers have arguably seemed to look good. In any case, I see cash injections in the economy and eased lending leading to some faith for a bullish scenario.
The last time inflation and unemployment alternated severity, it caused a pretty substantial drop in BTC prices before a super-cycle.
I'm bullish on the cycle overall.
USD/JPY surges as Bank of Japan stays patThe US dollar has posted sharp gains on Friday. In the European session, USD/JPY is trading at 143.85, up 0.88% at the time of writing. The yen hit a 14-month high on Monday but the dollar has rebounded and is up 2.1% this week. It’s an unusually quiet Friday with no US events on the calendar.
The Bank of Japan held its rate decision just after the Federal Reserve, but there was little drama at the BoJ meeting. The markets had expected that central bank to maintain rates at “around 0.25%” and the BoJ didn’t provide any clues about future hikes. The rate statement didn’t reveal much, stating that the economy had “recovered moderately” but some weakness remained.
The statement noted concern over “developments in financial and foreign exchange market and their impact on Japan’s economic activity and prices”. Governor Ueda said last month that the BoJ would raise rate if the economy and inflation were in line with the Bank’s projections. If key data, particularly inflation, is stronger than expected in the coming weeks, we could see a rate hike at the October meeting.
With inflation in the US largely under control, the Federal Reserve is keeping a worried eye on the labor market, as job growth as deteriorated quickly. That slide has unnerved financial markets and may have been a key factor in the Fed’s jumbo rate cut of 50 basis points this week. Thursday’s unemployment claims for the period ending Sept. 14 were better than expected, at 219 thousand. This was well below the revised 231 thousand reading a week earlier and beat the market estimate of 230 thousand.
USD/JPY pushed above resistance at 142.41 earlier. The next resistance line is 144.55
There is support at 142.41 and 141.00
Weekly Round-up: USD/JPY & GBP/USD Market AnalysisHi Traders,
Here's a summary of the week so far for USD/JPY and GBP/USD.
This week has been packed with economic data releases. Earlier today, the Bank of Japan kept interest rates unchanged but expressed optimism about improvements in the broader Japanese economy.
The overall trend for USD/JPY remains bearish, and we anticipate this to persist into the coming week. As for GBP/USD, our short trade closed yesterday, and we are now expecting a continuation of the upward trend, breaking above the momentum high.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Consolidation before the BOJ Policy Rate DecisionWe probably won't see much price action today even though rates were cut to 5% yesterday. Many market participants are bullish, but this feeling can quickly disappear if the Bank of Japan (BOJ) decides to raise rates again, creating a situation like the one on August 5th. We got some clusters of liquidation around ~$63k but we have alot more at <$58k to liquidate.
USD/JPY rebounds after US retail sales beats estimateThe Japanese yen is down sharply on Tuesday. USD/JPY is up 0.73% today, trading at 141.64 in the North American session at the time of writing. On Monday, the yen pushed below 140 per dollar for the first time since July 2023.
The yen has looked razor sharp, gaining 2.9% in the month of September alone. The yen has surged a massive 15% in the third quarter, the best-performing G-10 currency. The Federal Reserve is virtually certain to raise interest rates by at least 25 basis points on Wednesday. The Bank of Japan, which meets on Friday, is expected to keep rates on hold. The BoJ has been an outlier among the major central banks and is expected to continue tightening, which has boosted the yen. The BoJ has signaled that further rate hikes are coming and this could occur as soon as December.
In the US, today’s retail sales release was the final key event ahead of the Federal Reserve meeting. Retail sales softened in August but the decline wasn’t as sharp as expected. Monthly, retail sales posted a small gain of 0.1% in August, down from a revised 1.1% in July but still better than the market estimate of -0.2%. On an annualized basis, retail sales eased to 2.1%, down from 2.9% in July and just below the forecast of 2.2%.
The retail sales release is not expected to impact the Federal Reserve decision on Wednesday. The rate cut odds for a half-point cut stand at 67% according to the CME’s FedWatch tool, unchanged by the retail sales release.
USD/JPY pushed above 141.17 earlier and is testing resistance at 141.72
There is support at 140.37 and 139.82
USD/JPY drops below 141, US CPI drops to 2.5%The Japanese yen has extended its gains on Wednesday. USD/JPY fell as low as 140.70, its lowest level this year, before paring much of the losses. In the North American session, USD/JPY is trading at 141.71 at the time of writing, down 0.52% on the day.
The hotly-anticipated US inflation report didn’t shake up the markets as it was pretty much as advertised. Headline CPI eased to 2.5% y/y in August, down from 2.9% in July and matching expectations. This was the fifth straight decline in headline inflation.
Monthly, CPI was unchanged at 0.2%, in line with the market estimate. Core CPI was unchanged at 3.2% y/y, matching the market estimate. Monthly, the core rate ticked up to 0.3%, up from the July gain of 0.2% and the market estimate of 0.2%.
The inflation report comes just one week before the Federal Reserve meeting on Sept. 18. Market rate cut odds have been swinging wildly as it remains unclear whether the Fed will cut by a modest 25 basis points or a jumbo 50-bps cut.
The odds of a 50-bps move surged to 59% after the soft nonfarm payroll report on Friday, but were down to 27% just prior to today’s inflation report and have fallen to 15% following the release, according to the CME’s FedWatch. This puts the likelihood of a 25-bps cut at 85%, although we’re likely to see the odds continue to shift in the days ahead.
The Bank of Japan meets on Sept. 20, two days after the Fed meeting. The BoJ is looking to continue tightening but will likely stay on the sidelines next week, as BoJ officials have ruled out a rate hike while the financial markets are unsteady. That could mean that the BoJ will push off a rate hike until December or January.
USD/JPY tested support at 141.54 earlier. Below, there is support at 140.79
There is resistance at 142.80 and 143.31
Yen extends gains on solid wage growth, consumer spending nextThe Japanese yen has posted gains on Thursday. In the North American session, USD/JPY is trading at 143.27 at the time of writing, down 0.33% on the day. The yen continues to pummel the US dollar and is up 1.9% this week. Since July 1, the yen has surged a massive 10.7%.
Average cash earnings in Japan rose 3.6% y/y in July, down from 4.5% in June, which was the highest since January 1997. Still, this beat the market estimate of 3.1%. Wages are a key factor as to how soon the Bank of Japan could raise interest rates.
Inflation has been moving higher but the BoJ wants to see increased wage growth as well in order to achieve the Bank’s target of sustainable inflation at 2%. Japanese firms agreed to a huge wage increase of 5.1% for 2024 and this is being reflected in solid wage growth.
Japan’s economy is showing signs of recovery and consumers are opening their wallets. Household spending will be released early Friday and is expected to rebound with a gain of 1.2% y/y in July, following a 1.4% decline in June.
In the US, all eyes are on Friday’s employment report, specifically nonfarm payrolls. After a lower-than-expected gain of 114 thousand in July, the markets expect a gain of 160 thousand in August. The weak July numbers triggered a meltdown in the financial markets and investors remain uneasy.
The Federal Reserve is poised to deliver a milestone rate cut on Sept. 18. The likelihood of a 25 bps cut stands at 61% and a 50 bps cut at 39%, according to CME’s FedWatch and these odds could change after the US employment report.
USD/JPY has pushed below support at 143.57 and tested support at 142.91 earlier
There is resistance at 144.10 and 144.76
Yen shrugs as inflation BoJ core CPI dipsThe Japanese yen has edged lower on Tuesday. In the European session, USD/JPY is trading at 144.76, up 0.17% on the day at the time of writing.
Is Japanese inflation falling? On Tuesday, two inflation indicators pointed to a deceleration in inflation in July. BoJ Core CPI, which is closely monitored by the Bank of Japan, dropped to 1.8%, down from 2.1% in June and its lowest level in three months. The Services Producer Price Index dropped to 2.8%, down from a revised 3.1% in June.
Japan’s inflation has been moving higher, which has supported the case for another rate hike from the Bank of Japan. The central bank has projected that inflation will hover around its 2% target until 2027. Today’s inflation releases could be temporary blips but if the next inflation reports also indicate that inflation is heading lower, it could complicate the BoJ’s plans to gradually normalize its ultra-loose policy.
The International Monetary Fund said on Friday that it supports the BoJ’s move to normalization and that the speed of further rate hikes will be ‘very data-dependent”, with a focus on inflation, wage growth and inflation expectations. We’ll get a look at Tokyo Core CPI on Friday, which is expected to remain unchanged at 2.2%.
The Jackson Hole Symposium was “mission accomplished” for the markets as Federal Chair Jerome Powell signaled that the Fed was ready to cut rates. Powell didn’t specify the September meeting as the kickoff for rate cuts, but the markets are confident that the Fed will cut by a quarter-point at the Sept. 18 meeting.
The US releases a key employment report on Sept. 6 and Goldman Sachs has said that if the jobs report is soft again then the Fed could respond with a 50-basis point cut, while a strong jobs release would support a 25-bps move.
USD/JPY is testing resistance at 144.98. Above, there is resistance at 145.42
There is support at 144.21 and 143.77
USDJPY Vulnerable on Monetary Policy DynamicsThe pair is heading towards its second straight losing month, due to the shift in monetary policy dynamics, which could fuel further losses and new 2024 lows towards 140.26. Chair Powell offered the strongest signal to date of a September pivot, bolstering market optimism for multiple rate cuts ahead. The bank of Japan is on the opposite direction, trying to make policy less loose. Stepping up its effort, it raised rates for second time in this cycle and pointed to more moves, while Governor Ueda stack to script last week.
On the other hand, Mr Powell did not offer any insights around the size and pace of rate cuts, while market pricing for four moves this year is stretched. The BoJ’s latest rate hike meanwhile sparked volatility and forced the bank to pledge to not hike again while markets are unstable. Furthermore, the rate differential will still be wide even if the BoJ hikes again and the Fed cuts more than once.
As such, a recovery effort would not be surprising, but the EMA200 (black line) and the 38.2% Fibonacci of the recent slump can cap the upside. Sustained strength above this resistance confluence does not easy under the current policy dynamics.
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Past Performance is not an indicator of future results.
Is all this a coincidence? USD/JPY 1M chartUSD/JPY 1M chart;
World trade was seriously affected by the very strong dollar. Therefore, due to the Plaza Agreement signed in 1985, the Japanese Yen started to appreciate significantly against the USD.
Then it continued to appreciate due to the economic bubble that burst in the 90s.
In 1998, there was a major collapse with the Asian Crisis. The Japanese Yen was positively affected by this situation.
After the 2008 global crisis, the Fed's interest rate cut broke the support zone downwards and started its second move below the $100 level.
After the earthquake and tsunami disaster in 2011, Japan launched a massive quantitative easing program, which was significantly bullish for the USD.
Finally, Japan raised interest rates for the first time in 17 years, leading to a sharp fall in the markets.
Was it a coincidence that the $160 level was tested for the first time in 34 years?
#USDJPY #Forex #Economy
BOJ Rate Hike Causes Unrest in the Stock Markets: What next?When the Bank of Japan hiked its interest rate at the end of July, global markets went into turbulence.
We will discuss what currency carry trade is, why the yen carry trade has caused this global volatility, and, importantly, whether the market will resume its uptrend.
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BOJ capitulates spectacularly Shinichi Uchida, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Japan (BOJ), says the bank won’t hike interest rates when markets are unstable, delivering a clear message on what traders need to do to prevent them doing so again: create volatility.
It’s an amazing statement, signalling the BOJ can and will be bullied by markets to avoid doing what is right for the Japanese economy. It’s an incredibly dovish admission, giving traders the green light to re-establish carry trades until the BOJ starts making noise about hiking rates again, or we see a major global economic downturn.
The Yen is tumbling understandably.
Adding to the dovish surprise, Uchida said the BOJ must maintain the degree of monetary easing for now and suggested the BOJ would not be behind the curve if it didn’t usher through rate hikes “at pace”.
It’s a capitulation of the grandest scale, undoubtedly orchestrated to restore calm to financial markets. It was only just over a week ago the BPOJ hiked more than expected and provided a hawkish outlook on the monetary policy outlook.
USD/JPY surges as carry trades established
USD/JPY has surged back above resistance at 146.50 on Uchida’s remarks, putting a potential retest of the January 2023 uptrend in play. The formation is also yet to be completed, but the three-candle pattern looks like a morning star, adding to confidence that we may have seen the cyclical bottom.
Should the price manage to remain above 146.50, consider buying with a stop below the level for protection. The intersection of the former uptrend and horizontal resistance at 148.80 is one potential trade target. Should that go, 149.70, 150.90 and 151.95 are the next upside levels of note.
The downtrend in RSI (14) has been broken, signalling downside momentum may be ebbing. It has yet to be confirmed by MACD but looks trustworthy given the speed of the rebound.
It’s not just bottoming patterns being seen in USD/JPY but also other pairs such as EUR/JPY and GBP/JPY.
-- Written by David Scutt
BoJ shows uncertainty, Yen WeakensThe BoJ indicated that it was not ready to hike rates further if the market continues with volatility
On release of the news, the Yen weakened, with the USDJPY rising to test the 148 price area
look for a potential breakout to the 149.50 price level as further yen weakness is anticipated