USD/JPY, JPY Crosses: Storm Clouds Gathering

 | Jul 22, 2016 05:34AM ET

A quiet end of the week in Asia but storm clouds appear to be gathering from a technical perspective on JPY Crosses.

Asia definitely has a “Friday” feeling about it today. G-20’s this weekend, BOJ and FOMC next week. Plus, most importantly for this Kiwi, the start of the Super 18 Rugby play-offs tonight, have combined to leave Asia in a wait and see mode across the markets as the week draws to an end.

Most interestingly next week is clearly the Bank of Japan with the street pumped up for announcements of extra large stimulus packages and further QE. The street has been awash with the chatter of 20 Trillion Yen packages and helicopter money.

USD/JPY Hourly

It is perhaps indicative of USD/JPY positioning that when the “no helicopter money” headline came out yesterday from BOJ Kuroda that USD/JPY promptly fell 180 points in 30 minutes. When the Nikkei newspaper suggested this morning that the package could be as high as 30 Trillion JPY, USD/JPY popped up to 106.20 before drifting back to its lows around 105.80.

Looking at the hourly chart the recent highs at 106.20 coincide with the 100-hour moving average. Multiple lows around 105.60/65 and the 200 hours moving average at 105.45 form initial support with a break opening a deeper correction.