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

WTI – West Texas Intermediate. Prices Lack Support for Growth

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices are attempting to attract buyers, but the market remains in a state of uncertainty. Concerns over President Trump's aggressive trade tariffs are putting

Irina Yanina 12:39 2025-03-31 UTC+2

EUR/USD. Analysis and Forecast

At the start of the new week during the Asian session, the EUR/USD pair attempted to attract buyers, but this was unsuccessful. The euro received support from easing concerns about

Irina Yanina 12:35 2025-03-31 UTC+2

US stock market runs into trouble

Rumors about mutual tariffs and another blow to consumer confidence triggered the second-worst sell-off of the S&P 500 this year. Investors are still holding piles of US stocks

Marek Petkovich 10:58 2025-03-31 UTC+2

EUR/USD. Hello, April: Eurozone Inflation Report, ISM Indices, and Nonfarm Payrolls

The first week of every month is the most informative for EUR/USD traders. The economic calendar traditionally includes a report on inflation growth in the eurozone, American ISM indices

Irina Manzenko 06:28 2025-03-31 UTC+2

GBP/USD Pair Overview – March 31: Nonfarm Payrolls, Trump, and Unemployment May Create New Problems for the Dollar

The GBP/USD currency pair continued to trade sideways near its highs on Friday. This sideways movement has persisted for several weeks, and the British pound has not managed even

Paolo Greco 06:24 2025-03-31 UTC+2

EUR/USD Pair Overview – March 31: A New Week of Trials for the Dollar

The EUR/USD currency pair rose again on Friday. As we can see, the correction against the upward trend of recent weeks ended very quickly. But that's no surprise, given that

Paolo Greco 06:24 2025-03-31 UTC+2

What to Pay Attention to on March 31? A Breakdown of Fundamental Events for Beginners

There are very few macroeconomic events scheduled for Monday. The only somewhat interesting reports will come from Germany. Retail sales and inflation data for March will be released. However, we'd

Paolo Greco 03:21 2025-03-31 UTC+2

AUD/USD: Analysis and Forecast

The AUD/USD pair continues its sideways consolidation, remaining within a familiar range near the key psychological level of 0.6300. This movement is driven by several factors impacting global market sentiment

Irina Yanina 11:16 2025-03-28 UTC+2

EUR/USD. Analysis and Forecast

Today, the EUR/USD pair is consolidating near the key psychological level of 1.0800, showing no intention of retreating below 1.0780 as traders and investors await the release of the U.S

Irina Yanina 10:45 2025-03-28 UTC+2

Markets at a Crossroads Ahead of Tariff Announcement by D. Trump (Possible Decline in CFD Contracts on #SPX and #NDX Futures)

Markets are now fully convinced that the U.S. President will follow through on his plans to implement severe customs tariffs aimed at closing the domestic market and, in doing

Pati Gani 10:39 2025-03-28 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.