empty
21.03.2025 12:46 AM
The Outlook for the Japanese Yen Remains Confidently Bullish

The Bank of Japan (BoJ) kept interest rates unchanged on Wednesday, and the market reacted neutrally, as this outcome was widely expected. BoJ Governor Kazuo Ueda stated that the risk of rising core inflation remains as wage growth and food prices remain elevated. Inflation data for February will be released overnight, and so far, the trend clearly favors further increases.

This image is no longer relevant

This marks the third consecutive BoJ meeting in which the interest rate has remained unchanged. In January, expectations were that the BoJ would raise rates in March, but the new U.S. president's announcement of a tariff review on imports increased uncertainty, leading to another pause—an outcome that was largely anticipated.

Japan is closely monitoring U.S. trade policy changes, with an expected announcement on April 2 regarding tariff increases on automobiles. The United States is Japan's largest export market (over $140 billion), with automobiles accounting for 28% of total exports. Japan fears it may become the next target of trade restrictions, as surveys indicate that business sentiment among manufacturers deteriorated in March.

Domestic wage growth is the second key factor influencing the BoJ's position, as it plays a crucial role in consumer demand and inflation. On Friday, the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo) announced that it had secured an average wage increase of 5.46%, exceeding last year's figures and marking the largest gain in 30 years. If these numbers are confirmed, expectations for a BoJ rate hike in May will strengthen, further boosting the yen. Current forecasts suggest that the BoJ will raise rates to 0.75% at one of its upcoming meetings, most likely in July, but now the market is increasingly considering the possibility of an earlier hike. Since the Federal Reserve is cutting rates, the trajectory for USD/JPY is quite clear.

Net long positions on the yen have reached $11.3 billion, the strongest speculative bet against the U.S. dollar among G10 currencies. Despite minimal changes in positioning over the past week, bullish momentum for the yen remains strong, and the estimated fair value of USD/JPY continues to decline.

This image is no longer relevant

After forming a local low at 146.50, USD/JPY rebounded slightly but remained within a bearish channel, with little reason to expect sustained growth. There was some speculation that the Bank of Canada might opt for another rate hike, but this did not materialize, and it has not changed the overall market sentiment—the yen is expected to continue strengthening.

Currently, the BoJ is the only major central bank tightening monetary policy, while others are shifting toward easing. We see a high probability of USD/JPY breaking below 146.50 and moving toward the long-term target of 139.59. The only potential disruption to this scenario would be a sharp increase in U.S. inflation expectations, which could alter the FOMC's rate outlook—but for now, there are no signs of such a shift.

Kuvat Raharjo,
Analytical expert of InstaForex
© 2007-2025
Select timeframe
5
min
15
min
30
min
1
hour
4
hours
1
day
1
week
Earn on cryptocurrency rate changes with InstaForex
Download MetaTrader 4 and open your first trade
  • Grand Choice
    Contest by
    InstaForex
    InstaForex always strives to help you
    fulfill your biggest dreams.
    JOIN CONTEST

Recommended Stories

Gold Knows the Path to Victory

Gold was not a market favorite following Donald Trump's victory in the November elections. In fact, it pulled back once the red wave became clear and the Republican's return

Marek Petkovich 10:55 2025-03-27 UTC+2

XAU/USD – Analysis and Forecast

Gold continues to hold its intraday gains, trading near the weekly high around the $3036 level. This is due to several factors, including uncertainty surrounding U.S. trade policy

Irina Yanina 10:44 2025-03-27 UTC+2

Trump imposes new auto tariffs

The euro, the pound sterling, and other risk-sensitive assets tumbled yesterday following news that President Donald Trump had signed an executive order to impose a 25 percent tariff on imported

Jakub Novak 10:33 2025-03-27 UTC+2

EUR/USD. Analysis and Forecast

Today, the EUR/USD pair is gaining some positive traction, breaking a six-day losing streak. The bullish momentum is lifting spot prices toward the 1.0785 level, marking a new daily high

Irina Yanina 09:58 2025-03-27 UTC+2

Who Had Any Doubts? Trump Remains Committed to His Economic Course (GBP/USD May Fall, #SPX May Rise)

Despite the ongoing political maneuvering, U.S. President Donald Trump remains committed to his economic strategy. This approach aims to dismantle the long-standing global economic model in which the U.S. primarily

Pati Gani 09:21 2025-03-27 UTC+2

Market picks wrong favorite

The higher the climb, the harder the fall. The S&P 500 tumbled in response to Donald Trump's announcement of 25% tariffs on automobiles. There will be no exceptions, although countries

Marek Petkovich 08:13 2025-03-27 UTC+2

What to Pay Attention to on March 27? A Breakdown of Fundamental Events for Beginners

There are very few macroeconomic events scheduled for Thursday, and even fewer are deemed important. The only report that deserves attention is the third estimate of U.S

Paolo Greco 05:42 2025-03-27 UTC+2

GBP/USD Pair Overview – March 27: The British Pound Stalls

On Wednesday, the GBP/USD currency pair openly traded in a flat range. Volatility remains low, with no trending movements even within the day. In other words, the market is simply

Paolo Greco 03:06 2025-03-27 UTC+2

EUR/USD Pair Overview – March 27: Donald Trump Steps Back

On Wednesday, the EUR/USD currency pair continued trading with minimal volatility and a slight downward bias. Trading volumes were absent, which is unsurprising—there has been very little news this week

Paolo Greco 03:06 2025-03-27 UTC+2

GBP/USD. A Rough Patch for the Pound

The UK inflation report failed to support the pound—all components of the release came in below expectations. On the one hand, this report is unlikely to influence the outcome

Irina Manzenko 23:41 2025-03-26 UTC+2
Can't speak right now?
Ask your question in the chat.
Widget callback
 

Dear visitor,

Your IP address shows that you are currently located in the USA. If you are a resident of the United States, you are prohibited from using the services of InstaFintech Group including online trading, online transfers, deposit/withdrawal of funds, etc.

If you think you are seeing this message by mistake and your location is not the US, kindly proceed to the website. Otherwise, you must leave the website in order to comply with government restrictions.

Why does your IP address show your location as the USA?

  • - you are using a VPN provided by a hosting company based in the United States;
  • - your IP does not have proper WHOIS records;
  • - an error occurred in the WHOIS geolocation database.

Please confirm whether you are a US resident or not by clicking the relevant button below. If you choose the wrong option, being a US resident, you will not be able to open an account with InstaForex anyway.

We are sorry for any inconvenience caused by this message.