The Japanese yen held steady near 157 per dollar on Friday (November 21st), after previously weakening steadily. The currency began to "put on the brakes" after Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama signaled that the government could intervene if the yen's movements were deemed too wild and speculative. Now, many market participants expect Japanese authorities to step in again if the yen approaches 160 per dollar, in line with previous intervention areas.

Despite the temporary halt in its weakening, the yen is still expected to fall nearly 2% in the week and is near a 10-month low. Pressure comes from Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's massive stimulus plan, projected to exceed 20 trillion yen, raising concerns about Japan's fiscal health and triggering a "Japan sell-off" trend in the yen and domestic bonds. Data-wise, Japan's core inflation rose to a three-month high in October, while exports grew stronger than expected, adding to the dynamics surrounding future Bank of Japan policy. (az)

Source: Newsmaker.id