The AUD/JPY cross holds steady near 98.50 during the early European trading hours on Wednesday. Renewed trade tensions between the US and China, and persistent geopolitical tension might underpin safe-haven currencies like the Japanese Yen (JPY) and cap the upside for the cross.
According to the daily chart, the positive view of AUD/JPY remains in place as the cross is well-supported above the key 100-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA). However, the 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) hovers around the midline, indicating neutral momentum. This suggests that further consolidation or a temporary sell-off cannot be ruled out before positioning for any near-term AUD/JPY appreciation.
On the bright side, the first upside barrier for the cross emerges at 99.50, the high of October 14. The crucial resistance level is seen at the 100.00 psychological level. Sustained trading above the mentioned level could see a rally to the upper boundary of the Bollinger Band of 100.35.
On the downside, the initial support level for AUD/JPY is located at 97.84, the low of October 10. The additional downside filter to watch is 96.86, the low of October 2. Any follow-through selling below this level could expose the crucial contention level at 96.25, the 100-day EMA.
AUD/JPY daily chart
Japanese Yen FAQs
The Japanese Yen (JPY) is one of the world’s most traded currencies. Its value is broadly determined by the performance of the Japanese economy, but more specifically by the Bank of Japan’s policy, the differential between Japanese and US bond yields, or risk sentiment among traders, among other factors.
One of the Bank of Japan’s mandates is currency control, so its moves are key for the Yen. The BoJ has directly intervened in currency markets sometimes, generally to lower the value of the Yen, although it refrains from doing it often due to political concerns of its main trading partners. The BoJ ultra-loose monetary policy between 2013 and 2024 caused the Yen to depreciate against its main currency peers due to an increasing policy divergence between the Bank of Japan and other main central banks. More recently, the gradually unwinding of this ultra-loose policy has given some support to the Yen.
Over the last decade, the BoJ’s stance of sticking to ultra-loose monetary policy has led to a widening policy divergence with other central banks, particularly with the US Federal Reserve. This supported a widening of the differential between the 10-year US and Japanese bonds, which favored the US Dollar against the Japanese Yen. The BoJ decision in 2024 to gradually abandon the ultra-loose policy, coupled with interest-rate cuts in other major central banks, is narrowing this differential.
The Japanese Yen is often seen as a safe-haven investment. This means that in times of market stress, investors are more likely to put their money in the Japanese currency due to its supposed reliability and stability. Turbulent times are likely to strengthen the Yen’s value against other currencies seen as more risky to invest in.
