USD/JPY – Yen Steady After BOJ Remarks

 | Oct 20, 2014 08:14AM ET

The Japanese yen is steady on Monday, as USD/JPY trades just below the 107 line. It’s a quiet start to the week, with no US or Japanese releases on Monday. In Japan, BoJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda reiterated the central bank’s policy stance.

On Monday, BoJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda stated that Japan’s economy continues to improve modestly, although consumer demand is down after the consumption tax hike in April. The BoJ would prefer to stay on the sidelines, but there has been talk that the central bank could step in with additional stimulus if the economy takes a turn for the worse. Such a move would weigh on the already weak Japanese yen.

US releases wrapped up the week on a high note, as UoM Consumer Sentiment climbed to 86.4 points, its highest reading since July 2007. The markets had expected a reading of 84.3 points. This indicates that the US consumer remains optimistic about the economy and is not overly concerned about warnings of a global slowdown. On the housing front, Building Permits and Housing Starts met expectations. Strong US employment numbers continue to drive the US recovery, as US job claims dropped to 264 thousand, marking a 14-year low. The estimate stood at 286 thousand.

USD/JPY for Monday, October 20, 2014