The USD/JPY currency pair retreated to 159.80 on Monday after briefly climbing above the psychological 160.00 threshold. The Japanese Yen has managed to attract fresh buying interest following remarks from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, which reinforced expectations that regulatory authorities could take steps to back the domestic currency.
Bessent stated on Monday that he believes the Japanese government and the Bank of Japan will implement measures designed to foster a stronger Japanese Yen. These comments arrive while the continued weakness of the Japanese currency remains a primary focus for markets, following a recent surge toward levels that historically prompted official intervention in foreign exchange markets.
Apprehension regarding a potential intervention remains heightened following the move above 160.00. Official figures published by Japan's Ministry of Finance on Friday revealed that the country spent a record ¥15.4 trillion between July 30 and August 26 to defend its currency after the pair approached a multi-decade high near 164.00.
Market participants are now shifting their attention toward upcoming US economic indicators for fresh direction. The Institute for Supply Management is set to release its Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index for August on Tuesday, while the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey for July will offer crucial insights into the health of the American labor market. These incoming reports could determine whether the current downward pressure on the US Dollar persists and if USD/JPY can extend its drop below 160.00.
On the one-hour technical chart, USD/JPY trades at 159.74, maintaining a mildly bullish near-term bias as it holds above the 100-hour simple moving average at 159.47 and the 200-hour simple moving average at 159.17. The rising trend-line support situated near 159.55 also provides a buffer. Meanwhile, the Relative Strength Index reads 47.82, resting just below the neutral 50 line to signal consolidative momentum following the recent pullback from the 160.20 horizontal resistance ceiling.
Regarding technical barriers on the topside, initial resistance is spotted near the 159.92 horizontal marker, ahead of the recent swing high at 160.20 where buying momentum previously stalled. On the downside, immediate support is provided by the trend-line region around 159.55, followed by the 100-hour simple moving average at 159.47 and the deeper 200-hour simple moving average near 159.17, where a definitive breakdown would undermine the constructive tone and invite a wider corrective phase.
In broader currency markets, the GBP/USD pair recovered a portion of its recent three-day decline, hovering around the 1.3550 zone on Monday as a softer US Dollar helped Cable regain lost ground while traders monitored the Federal Reserve's rate path. Similarly, EUR/USD trimmed some of Friday's sharp drop, flirting with the critical 1.1600 barrier as market participants evaluated September rate hike expectations.
Gold extended Friday's registered losses, briefly slipping below the $4,400 mark per troy ounce on Monday. The precious metal faced pressure despite a softer dollar and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East, as rising yields kept buyers cautious. In the digital asset sector, Bitcoin held firm above $78,000 with expectations of pushing toward $80,000, Ethereum maintained technical strength above $2,400, and Ripple showed early recovery signs near $1.37.
