|

USD/JPY: Bias to sell rallies – OCBC

USD/JPY remains caught in a 2-way trade between safe haven demand and JPY being directly hit by reciprocal tariffs. Pair was last at 149.60, OCBC's FX analysts Frances Cheung and Christopher Wong note.

JPY is likely to strengthen in risk-off trades

"Bullish momentum on daily chart intact but decline in RSI moderated. 2-way trades likely. Retain bias to sell rallies. Death cross formed (50 cuts 200 DMA to the downside). Support at 149.10/20 levels (21 DMA, 50% fibo), 148.70 and 147 levels (61.8% fibo). Resistance at 151.20/50 levels (38.2% fibo retracement of Sep low to Jan high, 50, 200 DMAs), 153 (100 DMA)."

"Japan was one of the countries that was singled out by Trump for taking advantage of the US. For instance, Japan imposes over 20% tariff rate on several agricultural products including beef and cheese, around 30% on leather shoes and about 10% on clothing and commercial trucks."

"There have been chatters of production adjustments or supply chain shifts in attempt to avoid being hit by reciprocal tariff adjustment, but it remains uncertain if this would be useful. Hence 2-way trades for USD/JPY is still likely in the interim unless Japan is exempted from reciprocal tariffs. In this scenario, JPY is likely to strengthen in risk-off trades."

Author

FXStreet Insights Team

The FXStreet Insights Team is a group of journalists that handpicks selected market observations published by renowned experts. The content includes notes by commercial as well as additional insights by internal and external analysts.

More from FXStreet Insights Team
Share:

Markets move fast. We move first.

Orange Juice Newsletter brings you expert driven insights - not headlines. Every day on your inbox.

By subscribing you agree to our Terms and conditions.

Editor's Picks

EUR/USD recovers to 1.1750 region as 2025 draws to a close

Following the bearish action seen in the European session on Wednesday, EUR/USD regains its traction and recovery to the 1.1750 region. Nevertheless, the pair's volatility remains low as trading conditions thin out on the last day of the year.

GBP/USD stays weak near 1.3450 on modest USD recovery

GBP/USD remains under modest beairsh pressure and fluctuates at around 1.3450 on Wednesday. The US Dollar finds fresh demand due to the end-of-the-year position adjustments, weighing on the pair amid the pre-New Year trading lull. 

Gold retreats to $4,300 area, looks to post monthly gains

Gold stays on the back foot on the last day of 2025 and trades near $4,300, possibly pressured by profit-taking and position adjustments. Nevertheless, XAU/USD remains on track to post gains for December and extend its winning streak into a fifth consecutive month.

Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP prepare for a potential New Year rebound

Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple are holding steady on Wednesday after recording minor gains on the previous day. Technically, Bitcoin could extend gains within a triangle pattern while Ethereum and Ripple face critical overhead resistance. 

Economic outlook 2026-2027 in advanced countries: Solidity test

After a year marked by global economic resilience and ending on a note of optimism, 2026 looks promising and could be a year of solid economic performance. In our baseline scenario, we expect most of the supportive factors at work in 2025 to continue to play a role in 2026.

Crypto market outlook for 2026

Year 2025 was volatile, as crypto often is.  Among positive catalysts were favourable regulatory changes in the U.S., rise of Digital Asset Treasuries (DAT), adoption of AI and tokenization of Real-World-Assets (RWA).