empty
20.06.2023 03:21 PM
USD/JPY: Yen falls into a trap

The Japanese yen has fallen into a trap of policy divergence. While the BoJ, at its June meeting, decided to maintain control over the yield curve and the overnight rate at the same level, its counterparts in other developed countries are tightening their monetary policies. As a result, the USD/JPY pair is rapidly rising, and the EUR/JPY quotes have reached a 15-year high.

Central bank rate hikes lead to an increase in bond yields. In June, Australia and Canada were the initiators of this process. They raised borrowing costs after a pause, surprising investors. And there's more to come. The ECB has taken another step towards monetary tightening, and the Fed has hinted at the continuation of the cycle in July. The Bank of England and the Swiss National Bank are next in line, which may raise rates by 25-50 basis points.

Against this backdrop, the Bank of Japan appears to be a peculiar outlier. It stated that inflation would slow down by the end of the year. Therefore, it is necessary to patiently maintain monetary stimulus. The majority of Reuters experts were expecting such a result from the June BoJ meeting. It significantly weakened the yen, with its trade-weighted exchange rate reaching a record low.

Yen's trade-weighted exchange rate dynamics

This image is no longer relevant

This circumstance increases the cost of imports and causes dissatisfaction within the Japanese government. They increasingly resort to verbal interventions. Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki stated that he continues to closely monitor events in the Forex market and will take measures in the field of currency policy if necessary. Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura claims that officials are monitoring any excessive or speculative events in the currency market.

As the experience of autumn 2022 shows, verbal interventions in the Forex market achieve nothing. Currency interventions are needed. Last year, Tokyo spent about $65 billion on them. The Ministry of Finance and the central bank sold USD/JPY through intermediaries when it approached the levels of 146 and 152. This time, most Reuters experts predict that the red line will be at the 145 level.

The yen has a tough time. The stabilization of underlying inflation in developed countries forces central banks to resume or continue cycles of tightening monetary policy. This leads to an increase in bond yields and widens their spreads with Japanese counterparts. As a result, carry traders come into play. Players take advantage of the difference by buying income-generating assets and selling funding currencies, such as the yen.

This image is no longer relevant

The future dynamics of USD/JPY will depend on Jerome Powell's readiness to confirm two acts of monetary tightening by the Fed in 2023, each by 25 basis points. The Federal Reserve Chairman will speak before the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Technically, on the daily chart, USD/JPY has precisely executed a buying strategy on the breakout of the previous fair value at 139.9 and the upper boundary of the triangle at 140.2 and 140.4. Utilize the current pullback to increase long positions towards 142.5 and 144.

Marek Petkovich,
Analytical expert of InstaForex
© 2007-2025
Select timeframe
5
min
15
min
30
min
1
hour
4
hours
1
day
1
week
Earn on cryptocurrency rate changes with InstaForex
Download MetaTrader 4 and open your first trade
  • Grand Choice
    Contest by
    InstaForex
    InstaForex always strives to help you
    fulfill your biggest dreams.
    JOIN CONTEST

Recommended Stories

US stock market: bad news fully priced in

The S&P 500 had its worst quarter in three years. Investors are shifting capital from North America to Europe. Once-booming US tech stocks have collapsed. Major banks and respected institutions

Marek Petkovich 09:13 2025-04-01 UTC+2

April to play crucial role in Europe's gas future

Europe's gas sector is entering a critical phase, as the end of the heating season sets the stage for refilling storage facilities, which are now two-thirds empty after the winter

Miroslaw Bawulski 13:01 2025-03-31 UTC+2

WTI – West Texas Intermediate. Prices Lack Support for Growth

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices are attempting to attract buyers, but the market remains in a state of uncertainty. Concerns over President Trump's aggressive trade tariffs are putting

Irina Yanina 12:39 2025-03-31 UTC+2

EUR/USD. Analysis and Forecast

At the start of the new week during the Asian session, the EUR/USD pair attempted to attract buyers, but this was unsuccessful. The euro received support from easing concerns about

Irina Yanina 12:35 2025-03-31 UTC+2

US stock market runs into trouble

Rumors about mutual tariffs and another blow to consumer confidence triggered the second-worst sell-off of the S&P 500 this year. Investors are still holding piles of US stocks

Marek Petkovich 10:58 2025-03-31 UTC+2

EUR/USD. Hello, April: Eurozone Inflation Report, ISM Indices, and Nonfarm Payrolls

The first week of every month is the most informative for EUR/USD traders. The economic calendar traditionally includes a report on inflation growth in the eurozone, American ISM indices

Irina Manzenko 06:28 2025-03-31 UTC+2

GBP/USD Pair Overview – March 31: Nonfarm Payrolls, Trump, and Unemployment May Create New Problems for the Dollar

The GBP/USD currency pair continued to trade sideways near its highs on Friday. This sideways movement has persisted for several weeks, and the British pound has not managed even

Paolo Greco 06:24 2025-03-31 UTC+2

EUR/USD Pair Overview – March 31: A New Week of Trials for the Dollar

The EUR/USD currency pair rose again on Friday. As we can see, the correction against the upward trend of recent weeks ended very quickly. But that's no surprise, given that

Paolo Greco 06:24 2025-03-31 UTC+2

What to Pay Attention to on March 31? A Breakdown of Fundamental Events for Beginners

There are very few macroeconomic events scheduled for Monday. The only somewhat interesting reports will come from Germany. Retail sales and inflation data for March will be released. However, we'd

Paolo Greco 03:21 2025-03-31 UTC+2

AUD/USD: Analysis and Forecast

The AUD/USD pair continues its sideways consolidation, remaining within a familiar range near the key psychological level of 0.6300. This movement is driven by several factors impacting global market sentiment

Irina Yanina 11:16 2025-03-28 UTC+2
Can't speak right now?
Ask your question in the chat.
Widget callback
 

Dear visitor,

Your IP address shows that you are currently located in the USA. If you are a resident of the United States, you are prohibited from using the services of InstaFintech Group including online trading, online transfers, deposit/withdrawal of funds, etc.

If you think you are seeing this message by mistake and your location is not the US, kindly proceed to the website. Otherwise, you must leave the website in order to comply with government restrictions.

Why does your IP address show your location as the USA?

  • - you are using a VPN provided by a hosting company based in the United States;
  • - your IP does not have proper WHOIS records;
  • - an error occurred in the WHOIS geolocation database.

Please confirm whether you are a US resident or not by clicking the relevant button below. If you choose the wrong option, being a US resident, you will not be able to open an account with InstaForex anyway.

We are sorry for any inconvenience caused by this message.