USDJPY bulls struggle but bears need validation from 149.00 to retake control
USDJPY reverses the first weekly loss in five while printing mild gains around 150.50 early Tuesday. In doing so, the Yen pair seesaws near a three-week-old horizontal resistance surrounding 150.90-151.00. It’s worth noting that the lackluster RSI and sluggish MACD signals suggest further grinding of the quote below the stated key resistance. The bearish momentum, however, appears less likely until the prices stay beyond a convergence of the 200-SMA and a two-month-long rising support line, close to 149.00. Apart from the 149.00 support confluence, January’s high of near 148.80 will also try to challenge the Yen pair sellers before giving them control.
Meanwhile, an upside break of the 150.90-151.00 resistance region will allow the USDJPY buyers to aim for the double tops marked during late 2022 and 2023 near 152.00. It should be observed that the Yen pair’s run-up beyond the 152.00 hurdle highlights the 160.00 psychological magnet and the year 1990 peak of around 160.40 for the bulls. In that case, the overbought RSI line and likely adjustments in the Bank of Japan’s (BoJ) monetary policy will challenge the pair’s further upside.
Overall, the USDJPY pair’s upside momentum runs out of steam but the bearish move is yet to gain acceptance and hence needs validation from the key support of near 149.00, as well as the US/Japan fundamental catalysts scheduled for publishing during this week.
