In early European trading, the US dollar steadied near a one-week high against a basket of currencies, holding at 103.559 on the Dollar Index. This stability follows a period of weakness in November, marked by traders anticipating significant rate cuts by the Federal Reserve in the coming year. However, recent actions have seen a shift in sentiment as investors scaled back on dovish expectations, waiting for crucial economic indicators this week, including job openings, ISM services activity data, and the highly anticipated nonfarm payrolls report on Friday.
Amid this anticipation, the Japanese yen experienced a slight dip against the dollar, trading at 147.08, influenced by concerns over inflation. Tokyo's Core CPI for November showed a decrease to 2.3%, down from October's 2.7% and below the expected 2.4%. The Bank of Japan remains cautious about tightening its monetary policy despite persistent inflation above the 2% target, citing the need for sustained wage growth for long-term inflation sustainability. The BoJ's upcoming meeting in mid-December will be closely watched for any potential policy shifts.
As for the US, focus is on the imminent release of the ISM Services PMI, being for November hovering around 52.7 after October's decline to 51.8. Meanwhile, technical analysis for USD/JPY indicates resistance levels at 148.77 and 147.72, with support at 146.48 and 145.96
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