The Japanese yen has ticked lower in the Wednesday session. In North American trade, USD/JPY is trading at 110.23, up 0.23% on the day. On the release front, Japanese Average Cash Earnings is expected to drop sharply to 0.8%. There are no key U.S indicators on the schedule. On Thursday, the U.S releases unemployment claims and Japan publishes current account and Final GDP.
The Bank of Japan has steadfastly held that it will not exit its massive stimulus until inflation reaches the bank’s target of around 2 percent. Although inflation remains well below this level, a stronger economy has fueled expectations that the termination of stimulus is a question of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’. On Tuesday, Deputy Governor Masazumi Wakatabe said on Tuesday that the bank would not immediately start selling Japanese government bonds after the end of its stimulus scheme. Wakatabe said that a first priority for the BoJ would be taking care of excess liquidity. The cautious BoJ is unlikely to make any dramatic fiscal moves, aware that even slight steps can have a strong impact on the markets and the currency exchange.
Japan is keeping a close eye on the upcoming summit between US President Trump and North Korean President Kim Jong-un next week in Singapore. The meeting will mark the first ever face-to-face meeting between leaders of the U.S and North Korea. Trump has tried to lower expectations, saying the sides are unlikely to reach an agreement on North Korea relinquishing its nuclear weapons. Still, the fact that the two leaders are meeting is a sign that significant progress is being made in the long-standing dispute in the Korean peninsula. North Korean missiles represent a significant threat to Japan’s security, and Japanese Prime Minister Abe is expected to press Japan’s concerns when he meets with Trump ahead of the summit.
