USDJPY Technical Analysis – This is a crucial moment for the pair

<p>US</p><ul><li>The Fed <a href="https://www.forexlive.com/centralbank/the-fomc-keeps-the-target-fed-funds-range-at-525-to-550-20230920/">left interest rates unchanged</a> as expected at the last meeting.</li><li>The macroeconomic projections were revised higher,
and the Dot Plot showed that the FOMC still expects another rate hike by the
end of the year with less rate cuts projected in 2024.</li><li><a href="https://www.forexlive.com/centralbank/highlights-from-the-fed-chair-powells-press-conference-after-september-rate-decision-20230920/">Fed Chair Powell</a> reaffirmed their data dependency but added that
they will proceed carefully. </li><li>The recent <a href="https://www.forexlive.com/news/us-september-cpi-37-yy-versus-36-yy-expected-20231012/">US CPI</a> beat expectations on the headline
figures, but the core measures came in line with forecasts and the market’s
pricing barely changed. </li><li>The <a href="https://www.forexlive.com/news/us-august-non-farm-payrolls-187k-vs-170k-expected-20230901/">labour market</a> remains pretty resilient but there are some signs
of softness as seen yesterday with another miss in <a href="https://www.forexlive.com/news/us-initial-jobless-claims-210k-vs-208k-estimate-20231026/">Continuing Claims</a>.</li><li>The <a href="https://www.forexlive.com/news/us-september-retail-sales-07-versus-03-expected-20231017/">US Retail Sales</a> last week beat expectations by a big
margin with positive revisions to the prior figures, suggesting the consumers’
spending is still solid.</li><li>The <a href="https://www.forexlive.com/news/us-september-sp-global-flash-services-pmi-509-vs-498-expected-20231024/">US PMIs</a> this week showed that the economy now
looks more balanced and resilient.</li><li><a href="https://www.forexlive.com/centralbank/feds-powell-fomc-is-proceeding-carefully-20231019/">Fed Chair Powell</a>and other FOMC members continue to highlight the rise in long term yields as doing
the job for the Fed and therefore they are expected to keep rates steady in
November as well.</li><li>The market doesn’t expect the Fed to hike anymore.</li></ul><p>Japan</p><ul><li>The BoJ <a href="https://www.forexlive.com/centralbank/boj-makes-no-change-to-its-major-policy-planks-no-change-to-forward-guidance-20230922/">kept everything unchanged</a> as expected at the last meeting.</li><li>The <a href="https://www.forexlive.com/news/japan-september-inflationheadline-inches-lower-than-in-august-still-above-2-boj-target-20231019/">Japanese CPI</a>last week showed that inflationary pressures
remain high with the core-core reading hovering at the cycle highs.</li><li>The Unemployment Rate last month
remained unchanged near cycle lows.</li><li>The <a href="https://www.forexlive.com/news/japan-jibun-preliminary-manufacturing-pmi-for-october-485-prior-485-20231024/">Japanese Manufacturing PMI</a> matched the prior reading remaining
in contraction with the Services PMI falling but holding on in expansion.</li><li>The BoJ officials continue to repeat
that the central bank should keep the current monetary policy. </li><li>The latest <a href="https://www.forexlive.com/news/japan-data-august-inflation-adjusted-real-wages-fell-25-yy-20231005/">Japanese wage data</a> missed expectations again which is
unlikely to lead to a more hawkish BoJ in the near future.</li><li>The <a href="https://www.forexlive.com/centralbank/japan-inflation-data-tokyo-area-cpi-for-october-headline-33-vs-28-prior-20231026/">Tokyo CPI</a>, which is seen as a leading
indicator for National CPI, beat expectations today. </li></ul><p>USDJPY Technical Analysis –
Daily Timeframe</p><p>On the daily chart, we can see
that the USDJPY pair managed to breach the key 150.00 level and stay above it
without any intervention. The buyers might start to have a bit more confidence
to push the pair into new highs, although we continue to have some notable bearish
signs. In fact, we can see that the <a href="https://www.forexlive.com/Education/technical-analysis-understanding-divergence-20220429/">divergence</a> with the
<a href="https://www.forexlive.com/Education/technical-analysis-understanding-macd-20220427/">MACD</a> is
getting bigger and bigger and it generally takes just one meaningful
fundamental catalyst to change the entire trend. So, this is a big risk to
watch out for. </p><p>USDJPY Technical Analysis –
4 hour Timeframe</p><p>On the 4 hour chart, we can see that the <a href="https://www.forexlive.com/Education/technical-analysis-polarity-20220408/">resistance has now become support</a> and we
can also find the <a href="https://www.forexlive.com/Education/technical-analysis-confluence-20220318/">confluence</a> with the
<a href="https://www.forexlive.com/Education/technical-analysis-using-fibonacci-retracements-20220421/">Fibonacci retracement</a> level
and the red 21 <a href="https://www.forexlive.com/Education/technical-analysis-understanding-moving-averages-20220425/">moving average</a>. This is
where the buyers should step in positioning for new highs and target the 152.00
level. The sellers, on the other hand, will want to see the price falling below
the <a href="https://www.forexlive.com/Education/technical-analysis-support-and-resistance-20220405/">support</a> and the <a href="https://www.forexlive.com/Education/technical-analysis-trendlines-20220406/">trendline</a> to
invalidate the bullish setup and position for a drop back to the 147.82 level. </p><p>USDJPY Technical Analysis –
1 hour Timeframe</p><p>On the 1 hour chart, we can see that we
had a spike yesterday for no apparent reason. It doesn’t look like an
intervention though given that it’s too little. The buyers are likely to
increase the bullish bets if the price breaks above the counter-trendline and
keep targeting the 152.00 level. From a fundamental perspective, the recent
drop in Treasury yields, the signs of softness in the US labour market and the
beat in the Tokyo inflation data might give the sellers enough confidence to
push the pair lower, but we will first need the price to fall back below the
150.00 level.</p><p>Upcoming Events</p><p><a href="https://www.forexlive.com/EconomicCalendar">Today</a>we will get the US PCE report which is unlikely
to change anything for the Fed at this point in time. </p><p>See the video below</p>

This article was written by FL Contributors at www.forexlive.com.