Japanese Yen recovers sharply from 40-year low as intervention bets trigger short-covering

Mitrade
Trending Articles
coverImg
Source: DepositPhotos
  • USD/JPY meets with heavy supply as a suspected intervention triggers JPY short-covering.

  • A modest USD downtick exerts additional pressure on the pair and contributes to the fall.

  • The wide US-Japan rate differential could limit further losses ahead of the US NFP report.

The USD/JPY pair comes under intense selling pressure and plummets to the 161.00 neighborhood heading into the European session on Thursday, snapping a three-day winning streak to the highest since 1986 set the previous day. Spot prices, however, rebounded a few pips in the last hour and currently trade around the 161.70 region, still down over 0.50% for the day.

The decline in the USD/JPY pair came after Reuters reported that Japanese officials will stop signalling intervention risks and start focusing on targeting speculators. This, in turn, prompted traders to unwind their bearish bets on the Japanese Yen (JPY). The US Dollar (USD), on the other hand, drifts lower on the back of Wednesday's softer-than-expected US macro data and turns out to be another factor exerting heavy downward pressure on the currency pair.

However, elevated US Federal Reserve (Fed) rate hike expectations, along with geopolitical risks, should help limit deeper USD losses ahead of the closely-watched US monthly employment details. In fact, the CME Group's FedWatch Tool indicates that traders are still pricing in around a 64% chance that the US central bank will raise borrowing costs in September and assigning a nearly 85% probability of a move by the end of this year. This, in turn, favors the USD bulls.

Meanwhile, the Bank of Japan (BoJ) raised its benchmark policy rates to 1% – the highest since 1995 – in June. The Fed, on the other hand, maintained the interest rate target range of 3.5% to 3.75%, leaving a gap of around 250 basis points (bps). This, in turn, might keep the so-called JPY carry trade in play and hold back traders from positioning for any meaningful corrective fall. Hence, strong follow-through selling is needed to confirm that spot prices have topped out.

Japanese Yen Price Today

The table below shows the percentage change of Japanese Yen (JPY) against listed major currencies today. Japanese Yen was the strongest against the Australian Dollar.


USDEURGBPJPYCADAUDNZDCHF
USD
-0.19%-0.31%-0.53%-0.07%0.01%-0.14%-0.22%
EUR0.19%
-0.12%-0.37%0.11%0.19%0.06%-0.03%
GBP0.31%0.12%
-0.22%0.22%0.32%0.18%0.08%
JPY0.53%0.37%0.22%
0.45%0.55%0.37%0.31%
CAD0.07%-0.11%-0.22%-0.45%
0.09%-0.04%-0.15%
AUD-0.01%-0.19%-0.32%-0.55%-0.09%
-0.13%-0.23%
NZD0.14%-0.06%-0.18%-0.37%0.04%0.13%
-0.10%
CHF0.22%0.03%-0.08%-0.31%0.15%0.23%0.10%

The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the Japanese Yen from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the US Dollar, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent JPY (base)/USD (quote).

Read more

  • WTI slips below $68.00 as supply concerns ease
  • Bitcoin Price Trend Forecast: Continued ETF Outflows Limit Bitcoin Price Rebound Space, $58,000 Becomes Key Level for Bulls and Bears
  • June Non-Farm Payrolls Preview: Did White House Economic Advisor Give an Early Hint? How Will US Stocks, Dollar and Gold React?
  • Japanese Yen sinks to fresh low since 1986 vs USD amid persistently wide US-Japan rate gap
  • * The content presented above, whether from a third party or not, is considered as general advice only.  This article should not be construed as containing investment advice, investment recommendations, an offer of or solicitation for any transactions in financial instruments.

    goTop
    quote
    Related Articles
    placeholder
    Japanese Yen sinks to fresh low since 1986 vs USD amid persistently wide US-Japan rate gapThe USD/JPY pair builds on the previous day's breakout momentum and continues to scale new multi-decade highs through the Asian session on Wednesday.
    Author  FXStreet
    Yesterday 01: 47
    The USD/JPY pair builds on the previous day's breakout momentum and continues to scale new multi-decade highs through the Asian session on Wednesday.
    placeholder
    Japan’s Kihara: Always ready to take necessary action on forexJapan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara reiterated during a regularly scheduled press conference this Tuesday that officials he is always ready to take necessary action on forex. Kihara, however, refrained from commenting on specific forex level.
    Author  FXStreet
    Jun 30, Tue
    Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara reiterated during a regularly scheduled press conference this Tuesday that officials he is always ready to take necessary action on forex. Kihara, however, refrained from commenting on specific forex level.
    placeholder
    Australian Dollar edges lower to near 0.6900 on Fed hike bets The AUD/USD pair edges lower to around 0.6900 during the Asian trading hours on Friday. The US Dollar (USD) strengthens against the Australian Dollar (AUD) on the expectation of US rate hikes later this year.
    Author  FXStreet
    Jun 26, Fri
    The AUD/USD pair edges lower to around 0.6900 during the Asian trading hours on Friday. The US Dollar (USD) strengthens against the Australian Dollar (AUD) on the expectation of US rate hikes later this year.
    placeholder
    Japanese Yen flatlines near 161.50 as traders are on high alert for interventionThe USD/JPY pair holds steady near 161.55 during the early Asian session on Tuesday. Progress in US–Iran peace talks and intervention fears from the Japanese authorities might cap the upside for the pair.
    Author  FXStreet
    Jun 23, Tue
    The USD/JPY pair holds steady near 161.55 during the early Asian session on Tuesday. Progress in US–Iran peace talks and intervention fears from the Japanese authorities might cap the upside for the pair.
    placeholder
    Japanese Yen hangs near intervention zone despite BoJ rate hike, ahead of FOMCThe USD/JPY pair ticks lower during the Asian session on Wednesday, though it remains within striking distance of the highest level since late April, touched last week.
    Author  FXStreet
    Jun 17, Wed
    The USD/JPY pair ticks lower during the Asian session on Wednesday, though it remains within striking distance of the highest level since late April, touched last week.
    Live Quotes
    Name / SymbolChart% Change / Price
    USDJPY
    USDJPY
    0.00%0.00

    Forex Related Articles

    • How to Identify Forex Scams? Warning Signs Every Trader Should Know
    • Stop Loss: Your Savior In The Market
    • Is Mitrade a Legit Broker? A Transparent Review of Security, Platform, and Trading Conditions (2026 Updated)
    • Is Mitrade Right for You? A Complete Guide on How to Start Trading CFDs in 5 Steps
    • 6 Leading ASIC-Regulated Forex Trading Platforms&Apps in Australia (2026 Update)
    • Forex Trading In Malaysia - Top 10 Forex Brokers for Malaysia: Regulated & Trader-Friendly Picks

    Click to view more