The Japanese yen has posted considerable gains in Thursday trade. In the North American session, USD/JPY is trading at 105.41, down 0.62% on the day. Japanese data was a disappointment. Flash Manufacturing PMI slowed to 53.2, missing the estimate of 54.3 points. As well, All Industries Activity declined 1.8%, shy of the estimate of -1.7%. Later in the day, Japan releases National Core CPI, which is expected to tick higher to 1.0%. In the US, unemployment claims rose to 229 thousand, higher than the forecast of 225 thousand. On Friday, the US releases durable goods and housing reports.
On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve raised rates for the first time this year, in a move that was widely expected. The rate increase of a quarter-point brings the benchmark rate to a range between 1.50% and 1.75%. The markets were looking for any clues with regard to the pace of rate hikes in 2018 – currently the Fed is projecting three hikes, but a robust US economy could push the Fed to press the rate trigger four times. The rate statement did not directly address the issue, but there was a refreshing lack of Fedspeak from policymakers, who said that “the economic outlook has strengthened in recent months”. This phrase has not been used in previous rate statements, and if Fed policymakers reiterate positive sentiment towards the economy, could push the US dollar to higher ground.
There are some new faces in the senior management of the Bank of Japan, but the “hold the course” mantra remains the same. On Tuesday, two new deputy governors, Masayoshi Anamiya and Masazumi Wakatabe, were elected to 5-year terms. On Wednesday, Anamiya said that “conceptually and theoretically, we haven’t hasn’t ruled out the possibility of adjusting the yield curve”, leaving the door open to raising rates even if inflation remains shy of the 2 percent target. However, Anamiya added that the Bank has not reached the point of having to make such a decision. In other words, the markets should not expect any changes in the bank’s ultra-accommodative policy for the foreseeable future.
