USD/JPY Touches Fresh Nine-Month High as Traders Lean Into Policy Divergence
The US dollar climbed against the Japanese yen on Wednesday, with USD/JPY briefly pressing near 154.80—its highest level in nine months. Buyers were emboldened by the view that Tokyo may hold off on currency intervention for now and by renewed speculation that the Federal Reserve could pivot toward rate cuts at an upcoming policy meeting. The move underscores the broader theme of policy divergence, with elevated US yields continuing to weigh on the yen.
If bullish momentum extends, the pair’s next upside objectives sit at the January peak near 156.70, followed by the 158.86 resistance zone. A fade from current levels could see initial support at the 20-day simple moving average around 153.10, then the recent swing low at 152.80. A deeper pullback would bring 151.50 into focus, with the 50-day SMA near 150.50 acting as a stronger line of defense.
Technical signals tilt in favor of the bulls but warrant caution. The MACD remains above the zero line, indicating a positive bias even as it flattens and hints at consolidation. At the same time, the stochastic oscillator is moving into overbought territory, reflecting strong buying pressure but also increasing the risk of a near-term pause or pullback.
Key Points – USD/JPY advanced to a nine-month high near 154.80 amid reduced intervention fears and Fed rate-cut speculation. – Policy divergence continues to support dollar strength against the yen. – Upside targets: January high around 156.70 and resistance near 158.86. – Immediate supports: 20-day SMA at 153.10 and 152.80; deeper levels at 151.50 and the 50-day SMA near 150.50. – MACD above zero suggests a constructive bias, while overbought stochastics flag pullback risk.
