• English
  • 简体中文
  • 繁體中文
  • Tiếng Việt
  • ไทย
  • Indonesia
Subscribe
Real-time News
February 14th - Gold and silver futures are poised for gains this week. The near-month gold contract rose 1.4% this week, marking its eighth consecutive week of gains in the past ten weeks. The near-month silver contract rose 1.5% this week, ending a two-week losing streak and marking its eleventh consecutive week of gains in the past 15 weeks. Antonio Di Giacomo of XS.com stated in a report that despite volatility in the precious metals market, demand for safe-haven assets remains, supporting the rise in gold and silver prices.Amazon-backed nuclear energy company X-Energy Reactor Co. has received approval from U.S. regulators for its nuclear reactor fuel.Lawyers say a Pennsylvania jury found Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) liable for a woman’s diagnosis of ovarian cancer.On February 14th, Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sikorski stated in an interview in Munich, Germany, on February 13th that Europe, not the United States, is paying the price for the Russia-Ukraine conflict, therefore "we have the right to comment on the relevant agreements." Sikorski stated that the United States is no longer paying for supplies provided to Ukraine, and Europeans are bearing the costs. Despite Europes financial and military support for Ukraine, the United States is profiting from the war by selling weapons to Ukraine through European countries. Sikorski emphasized that the US presence in Europe will continue, but will be more limited and strategic. He stated, "We Europeans must deploy ground troops," and Germany has amended its constitution to achieve this goal; other countries must also take action to fulfill the commitments made at subsequent NATO summits.US President Trump: Hopes to reach an agreement with Iran.

Even as the BoJ vs. Fed Difference Remains in the Spotlight, USD/JPY Tracks Below 134.00 on Lackluster Yields

Alina Haynes

Apr 17, 2023 14:02

USD:JPY.png 

 

As Monday begins in Tokyo, USD/JPY falls from its intraday high and stabilizes around 133.80. As a consequence, the Yen pair is unable to extend its previous day's gains due to lax market conditions preceding this week's key data/events. In addition to a paucity of significant data or events, USD/JPY traders have recently struggled with inconsistent triggers and sluggish returns.

 

The previous day, USD/JPY reached its highest level in a week as primarily positive US data dampened expectations for a policy shift and rate cut by the Federal Reserve (Fed) in 2023. Despite this, US retail sales decreased by 1.0% in March compared to the predicted -0.4% decline and February's -0.2% decline. As opposed to the 0.2% market consensus and previous reading, Industrial Production increased by 0.4% in the month in question. The preliminary result of the University of Michigan's (UoM) Consumer Confidence Index for April, which increased to 63.5 from 62.0 analysts' expectations and previous readings, was also encouraging. In addition, inflation forecasts for the next year increased from 3.6% in March to 4.6% in April, while inflation forecasts for the next five years decreased by 2.9% during the same month.

 

Previously, the USD/JPY pair increased due to hawkish Fed discussions. In an interview with Reuters on Friday, Raphael Bostic, president of the Atlanta Federal Reserve (Fed), stated that "recent developments are consistent with one more rate hike." According to Reuters, Fed Governor Christopher Waller discussed this topic and stated that additional rate hikes are necessary because the Fed has not made significant progress toward its inflation objective. In an interview with CNBC on Friday, Austan Goolsbee, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, stated that he still needs to examine the statistics. The lawmaker said, "However, let's keep in mind that we've raised a lot of money; some of the delay may be reflected in today's retail sales number."

 

In contrast, the USD/JPY pair was able to maintain its strength due to the new Governor of the Bank of Japan (BoJ), Kazuo Ueda, who supports the Japanese central bank's easy-money policy.

 

Recent geopolitical tensions between China and the United States over Taiwan, as well as China's desire to collaborate with Russia to enhance regional and global security, have weighed on the USD/JPY pair and agitated the market.

 

S&P 500 Futures struggle to find a clear direction amidst these wagers following Wall Street's pessimistic close, as bond yields remain neutral despite weekly gains.

 

The preliminary readings of the US PMIs for April and the Japanese National Consumer Price Index (CPI) for March will be crucial to monitor going forward. The previously mentioned risk factors and central banker comments are also significant.