The market reaction to the Bank of Japan’s decision to end negative rates and scrap its yield curve control policy was muted, as traders had already been preparing for the announcement throughout the week. The Japanese central bank’s leaks ahead of the official announcement were a strategic move to prevent any excessive market volatility. As a result, the reaction to the news did not spark the significant movement that some had anticipated.
Following the announcement, the USD/JPY pair experienced a slight whipsaw effect, fluctuating between 149.00 and 149.70 before settling around 149.60 levels. Despite the initial spike to 149.90, the pair retraced back to its current level. Key resistance and offers are currently concentrated near the 150.00 mark, indicating a lack of surprises or major shifts in the market sentiment.
With traders well-prepared for the event, the lack of substantial surprises has kept the market relatively stable. As highlighted in earlier analysis, for the yen to experience a significant rally, it would require more than just the actions of the Bank of Japan to justify any compelling downside momentum. Therefore, the market remains subdued as it awaits further developments to drive meaningful movement in the USD/JPY pair.