EUR/JPY hovers near 159.50, upside seems possible amid uncertainty regarding BoJ rate hike
- EUR/JPY may gain ground due to uncertain expectations surrounding the BoJ rate hike in December.
- BoJ board member Toyoaki Nakamura emphasized the need for caution in raising rates.
- Markets are fully pricing in a 25 basis point cut to the ECB’s Deposit Facility Rate, bringing it to 3% on Thursday.
EUR/JPY maintains its position around 159.50 during Tuesday's Asian session. This upward movement in the EUR/JPY cross is likely due to a weaker Japanese Yen (JPY), driven by uncertain expectations about a potential Bank of Japan (BoJ) rate hike in December.
BoJ Governor Kazuo Ueda recently signaled that the timing for the next rate hike is approaching. Combined with data showing strong underlying inflation in Japan, this has increased speculation of a rate hike at the BoJ's policy meeting on December 18-19.
However, some media reports suggest the BoJ may opt to skip a rate hike this month. Additionally, dovish BoJ board member Toyoaki Nakamura emphasized the need for caution in raising rates, adding further uncertainty and weighing on the Japanese Yen.
In the Eurozone, markets are nearly fully pricing in a 25 basis point (bps) cut to the European Central Bank's (ECB) Deposit Facility Rate, bringing it to 3% on Thursday. Several ECB officials have expressed concerns about the risk of inflation falling short of the bank’s target, driven by a weak economic outlook. The ECB has already reduced the deposit rate by 75 bps this year, and Thursday’s anticipated cut would mark the third consecutive reduction.
Market participants expect the Eurozone economy to underperform due to political uncertainty in Germany and France, the largest economies in the bloc. Additionally, concerns are growing about the potential impact on the export sector, particularly with the uncertainty surrounding US President Donald Trump’s administration and its policies once he takes office.
Interest rates FAQs
Interest rates are charged by financial institutions on loans to borrowers and are paid as interest to savers and depositors. They are influenced by base lending rates, which are set by central banks in response to changes in the economy. Central banks normally have a mandate to ensure price stability, which in most cases means targeting a core inflation rate of around 2%. If inflation falls below target the central bank may cut base lending rates, with a view to stimulating lending and boosting the economy. If inflation rises substantially above 2% it normally results in the central bank raising base lending rates in an attempt to lower inflation.
Higher interest rates generally help strengthen a country’s currency as they make it a more attractive place for global investors to park their money.
Higher interest rates overall weigh on the price of Gold because they increase the opportunity cost of holding Gold instead of investing in an interest-bearing asset or placing cash in the bank. If interest rates are high that usually pushes up the price of the US Dollar (USD), and since Gold is priced in Dollars, this has the effect of lowering the price of Gold.
The Fed funds rate is the overnight rate at which US banks lend to each other. It is the oft-quoted headline rate set by the Federal Reserve at its FOMC meetings. It is set as a range, for example 4.75%-5.00%, though the upper limit (in that case 5.00%) is the quoted figure. Market expectations for future Fed funds rate are tracked by the CME FedWatch tool, which shapes how many financial markets behave in anticipation of future Federal Reserve monetary policy decisions.