Macro: Sandcastle economics
Invest wisely in Q3 2024: Discover SaxoStrats' insights on navigating a stable yet fragile global economy.
Head of FX Strategy
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The Japanese yen has hit a fresh 2024 high against the US dollar. This has been driven by:
Bank of Japan (BOJ) board member Junko Nakagawa suggested the possibility of adjusting the degree of monetary easing, hinting at another rate hike. Japan’s labor cash earnings for July also exceeded expectations, which continue to support the case for further normalization in the BOJ policy. Nakagawa emphasized that the BOJ would adjust policy if economic projections materialize, signaling that Japan’s low real rates may need tightening sooner than expected.
Market expectations remain split for the magnitude of rate cut from the Fed next week. Despite a mixed US jobs report for August, the odds of a 50bps cut still remain. This means that even if the Fed moved by 25bps at the September 18 meeting, they will have to give a dovish outlook and continue to highlight that they stand ready to go for bigger rate cuts if economic momentum deteriorates further. This means that US dollar could remain on the backfoot going into the Fed meeting, and JPY could remain attractive.
The debate between Trump and Harris has added volatility to the political landscape, with prediction markets lowering Trump’s odds in an initial reaction. As election risk heats up, the yen’s status as a safe haven and funder of carry trades positions it to gain amid increased market volatility.
Japan's LDP leadership race is also heating up, with candidates likely to address concerns over the yen’s weakness. This internal political jockeying could lend further support to the currency.
With momentum gaining, the yen has room to strengthen, particularly against the USD, CAD, and MXN. The Canadian dollar faces pressure from declining oil prices and dovish signals from the BoC, while the Mexican peso may see the most impact from carry trade unwinding progressing further.
Upside potential also exists against the AUD and NZD if concerns around US economic growth deepen. This broader environment of market caution and currency repositioning could fuel further gains for the yen, especially as election-related volatility and haven demand increase.
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