GBP/JPY Price Forecast: Keeps bullish vibe, first upside target emerges near 198.50
- GBP/JPY weakens to around 197.85 in Thursday’s early European session, down 0.23% on the day.
- The positive view of the cross prevails above the key 100-day EMA with the bullish RSI indicator.
- The first upside barrier emerges at 198.45; the initial support level to watch is 196.17.
The GBP/JPY cross attracts some sellers to near 197.85 during the early European session on Thursday. The Pound Sterling (GBP) softens against the Japanese Yen (JPY) amid the dovish remarks from the Bank of England (BoE). BoE Governor Andrew Bailey said on Tuesday there were now signs that the UK labor market was softening, and he emphasized his view that interest rates are likely to continue falling.
Technically, the constructive outlook of GBP/JPY remains in place as the cross is well-supported above the key 100-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) on the daily chart. The upward momentum is reinforced by the 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI), which stands above the midline near 62.60, displaying bullish momentum in the near term.
The upper boundary of the Bollinger Band at 198.45 acts as an immediate resistance level for GBP/JPY. Extended gains could see a rally to the 198.95-199.00 zone, representing the high of December 20, 2024, and the psychological level. The additional upside filter to watch is 199.81, the high of October 30, 2024.
On the flip side, the initial support level for the cross is located at 196.17, the low of June 23. Sustained trading below the mentioned level could see a drop to 194.34, the low of June 18. The next downside target to watch is 193.50, the 100-day EMA, followed by 193.00, the lower limit of the Bollinger Band.
GBP/JPY daily chart
Japanese Yen FAQs
The Japanese Yen (JPY) is one of the world’s most traded currencies. Its value is broadly determined by the performance of the Japanese economy, but more specifically by the Bank of Japan’s policy, the differential between Japanese and US bond yields, or risk sentiment among traders, among other factors.
One of the Bank of Japan’s mandates is currency control, so its moves are key for the Yen. The BoJ has directly intervened in currency markets sometimes, generally to lower the value of the Yen, although it refrains from doing it often due to political concerns of its main trading partners. The BoJ ultra-loose monetary policy between 2013 and 2024 caused the Yen to depreciate against its main currency peers due to an increasing policy divergence between the Bank of Japan and other main central banks. More recently, the gradually unwinding of this ultra-loose policy has given some support to the Yen.
Over the last decade, the BoJ’s stance of sticking to ultra-loose monetary policy has led to a widening policy divergence with other central banks, particularly with the US Federal Reserve. This supported a widening of the differential between the 10-year US and Japanese bonds, which favored the US Dollar against the Japanese Yen. The BoJ decision in 2024 to gradually abandon the ultra-loose policy, coupled with interest-rate cuts in other major central banks, is narrowing this differential.
The Japanese Yen is often seen as a safe-haven investment. This means that in times of market stress, investors are more likely to put their money in the Japanese currency due to its supposed reliability and stability. Turbulent times are likely to strengthen the Yen’s value against other currencies seen as more risky to invest in.
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