Japanese Yen holds ground despite increasing doubts over BoJ rate hikes

• The Japanese Yen may struggle as the BoJ appears to be in no rush to raise interest rates.
• Japan’s Finance Minister Suzuki has expressed his expectation that the BoJ will adopt appropriate monetary policy measures.
• Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari believes there should be and will be additional interest rate cuts in 2024.

The Japanese Yen (JPY) remains steady against the US Dollar (USD) on Tuesday. However, it faces downward pressure amid increasing concerns that the Bank of Japan (BoJ) is not hurrying to raise interest rates. Following the BoJ's policy decision on Friday, Governor Kazuo Ueda noted that although Japan's economy is experiencing moderate recovery, signs of underlying weakness persist.

Japan’s Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki stated on Tuesday that he is “monitoring the impacts of central banks' monetary policies.” Suzuki expressed his expectation that the Bank of Japan will implement appropriate monetary policy measures while maintaining close coordination with the government.

The USD/JPY pair may weaken due to increasing expectations for further rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve (Fed) in 2024. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, markets are pricing in a 50% likelihood of a 75 basis point reduction, bringing the Fed's rate to a range of 4.0-4.25% by the end of this year.

Daily Digest Market Movers: Japanese Yen remains subdued amid the dovish BoJ

• The Jibun Bank Japan Composite Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) declined to 52.5 in September, down from a final reading of 52.9 in August, which was the highest in 15 months. Despite this decrease, it marks the eighth consecutive month of growth in private sector activity this year, primarily driven by the service sector. The Services PMI increased to 53.9 in September, up from a final 53.7 in the previous month.
• The S&P Global Composite PMI grew at a slower rate in September, registering 54.4 compared to 54.6 in August. The Manufacturing PMI unexpectedly dropped to 47.0, indicating contraction, while the Services PMI expanded more than anticipated, reaching 55.4.
• Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari said on Monday that he believes there should be and will be additional interest rate cuts in 2024. However, Kashkari expects future cuts to be smaller than the one from the September meeting, per Reuters.
• Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee noted, “Many more rate cuts are likely needed over the next year, rates need to come down significantly.” Additionally, Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic said Monday that the US economy is close to normal rates of inflation and unemployment and the central bank needs monetary policy to "normalize" as well, per Reuters.
• On Monday, Japan's new "top currency diplomat," Atsushi Mimura, stated in an interview with NHK that the Yen carry trades accumulated in the past have likely been mostly unwound. Mimura cautioned that if such trades were to increase again, it could lead to heightened market volatility. "We are always monitoring the markets to ensure that does not happen," he added.
• Japan's Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased to 3.0% year-on-year in August, up from 2.8% previously, marking the highest level since October 2023. Additionally, the Core National CPI, excluding fresh food, reached a six-month high of 2.8%, rising for the fourth consecutive month and in line with market expectations.
• Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell commented on the aggressive 50 basis point rate cut, saying, “This decision reflects our increased confidence that, with the right adjustments to our policy approach, we can maintain a strong labor market, achieve moderate economic growth, and bring inflation down to a sustainable 2% level.”

Technical Analysis: USD/JPY holds position above the nine-day EMA near 143.50

USD/JPY trades around 143.70 on Tuesday. Daily chart analysis indicates that the pair is moving within a descending channel, signaling a bearish trend. Furthermore, the 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) is just below the 50 level, reinforcing the prevailing bearish sentiment.

On the downside, the USD/JPY pair may test the nine-day EMA at the 143.01 level. A break below this level could lead the pair to explore the 139.58 region, marking its lowest point since June 2023.

Alternatively, immediate resistance is identified at the upper boundary of the descending channel, around the 144.30 level. A breakout above this level could enable the USD/JPY pair to challenge the psychological barrier of 145.00.

USD/JPY: Daily Chart