USD/JPY has posted gains in the Wednesday session, pushing above the 113 level. Currently, the pair is trading at 113.30. On the release front, Japanese Final Manufacturing PMI edged up to 52.7, within expectations. In the US, there are two key indicators – ISM Manufacturing PMI and the ADP payrolls. As well, the Federal Reserve issues a rate statement and set the benchmark rate, which is expected to remain pegged at 0.50%. On Thursday, the US will publish unemployment claims.
All eyes are on the Federal Reserve, which will release a policy statement later on Wednesday. After a historic quarter-point raise in December, which pushed rates to 0.50 percent, the Fed is expected to remain on the sidelines in its first release of 2017. What happens next? Just a few weeks ago, Fed officials were talking about a series of rates hikes in 2017 in response to a strong US economy (sound familiar? Please rewind to January 2016 for an identical message). However, after just 10 days on the job, President Trump has proven to be as unpredictable and controversial as ever. Trump has not provided any details about his economic blueprint for the country, but he has raised the rhetoric about "America first" and has already picked a fight with Mexico over a border wall and his threat to renegotiate the NAFTA trade agreement. After hinting at gradual rate increases, the Fed will likely change gears and adopt a wait-and-see attitude, watching what bills Trump gets through Congress and how the economy responds. If economic growth remains strong, a rate hike in the first half of 2017 will have to be seriously considered by the Fed. The markets have priced in a rate hike by June at 66 percent.
On Monday, the BoJ maintained interest rates at -0.10%, where they have been pegged since January 2016. The bank raised its GDP projection for fiscal year 2017 to 1.5 percent, up from 1.3 percent. At the same time, the BoJ highlighted the uncertainty that the economy faces due to the new US administration. President Trump has already taken some protectionist moves, and this could have a negative effect on Japan, which relies heavily on exports. The Japanese yen remains at low levels and the BoJ has previously said that it would consider taking action if the dollar rose above 120 yen. However, after the rate announcement, BoJ Governor said that the bank does not have a target for the currency.
