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18/09/24
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USD/JPY Faces Selling Pressure Ahead of Fed and BOJ Meetings
The USD/JPY currency pair has recently encountered renewed selling pressure, causing it to dip below the 142.00 level during the Asian trading session. This decline reverses some of the recovery gains made the previous day and follows a significant drop to its lowest level since July 2023 earlier in the week. The market sentiment points toward a bearish trajectory for the USD/JPY, although traders are likely to moderate their positions ahead of critical upcoming central bank announcements.
Investors are eagerly anticipating the Federal Reserve’s decision at the conclusion of its two-day meeting, set for later today. The expectation of an initial phase of monetary easing—specifically a possible 50 basis points interest rate cut—has heightened as inflationary pressures appear to be subsiding. This outlook is creating a cautious atmosphere in the market as attention begins to shift toward the Bank of Japan’s policy meeting scheduled for Friday, which is expected to significantly impact the Japanese Yen and shape the direction of the USD/JPY pair.
The contrasting monetary policy expectations between the Fed and the Bank of Japan are further intensifying the focus on the Japanese Yen. While the Fed gears up for a potential easing cycle, recent comments from Bank of Japan officials suggest the possibility of an interest rate increase by the end of the year, bolstering JPY’s position. This divergence has contributed to a marked sell-off in the USD/JPY as investors seek the safe haven qualities of the Yen.
In terms of Japan’s economic indicators, recent trade data indicates that both exports and imports performed below expectations. Notably, exports saw a year-on-year increase of 5.6% for August, marking the ninth consecutive month of growth, but the pace was slower than analysts had anticipated. On the import side, a modest rise of 2.3% fell short of forecasts. Despite these mixed results, the sentiment around the JPY remains robust, reinforcing a negative outlook for the USD/JPY as the trend appears to continue downward in the near term.
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