USD/JPY bias flipped 6 times to neutral on August 17, 2026
Japan's Q2 GDP growth came in below expectations, complicating the Bank of Japan's timeline for further rate hikes. Despite this, the yen gained ground against a softer US dollar, leaving USD/JPY struggling near 159.00 and appearing vulnerable below a key Fibonacci retracement level. The weaker growth data could prompt the BOJ to hold rates, while the pair remains under technical pressure.
Updated
The reading that day
NeutralAt the close of the UTC day.
BearishNeutralBullish
It changed 6 times during the day.
The day on the wire
00:0006:0012:0018:0024:00
The band shows the reading through the day; a mark shows where it changed. Each tick is a headline first seen that day.
The reading through the day
- 00:00Neutral
- 00:05Weak bearish
- 00:21Bearish
- 00:37Weak bullish
- 01:50Neutral
- 02:07Weak bearish
- 02:50Neutral
Headlines (15)
First seen on August 17
- Japan Q2 GDP growth undershoots forecasts, complicating BOJ's hike timelineInvestingLive
- Japan Q2 GDP slides past expectations as capex, private spending slowInvesting.com
- Nikkei Rises 0.5%; Weaker 2Q GDP Growth Could Prompt a BOJ HoldThe Wall Street Journal
- Japanese Yen gains against weaker US Dollar following softer Q2 GDP dataFXStreet
- Softer U.S. Data Reduces Interest Rate Hike ExpectationsActionForex
- investingLive Asia-Pacific market news: Oil steady, yen firmsInvestingLive
- AUD/JPY Price Forecast: Edges higher above 113.00, bullish bias prevails above 100-day SMAFXStreet
- Japan’s 10-year bond yield hits three-decade highFinancial Times
- USD/JPY Price Forecast: Struggles near 159.00; seems vulnerable below 50% Fibo.FXStreet
- The Yen: Has the Trend Finally Been Broken?ActionForex
Carried over from earlier days
- Traders are spoiling for a fight over the yenFinancial Times
- Moscow says 600 drones targeted region overnightdw.com
- Ukraine launches one of its largest aerial attacks of the war, killing at least 6 people in RussiaABC News
- Morgan Stanley says disinflation is here, but risks to 2027 rate outlook remainHellenic Shipping News
- Japan’s GDP grows 0.3% QoQ in Q2 2026 vs 0.5% expectedFXStreet
Scheduled events
As of
| Event | Forecast | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Monday, August 17 | ||
| Tertiary Industry Activity m/m | -0.9% | JPY |
| Revised Industrial Production m/m | 1.3% | JPY |
| Empire State Manufacturing Index | 10.6 | USD |
| NAHB Housing Market Index | 33 | USD |
| TIC Long-Term Purchases | 151.4B | USD |
| Tuesday, August 18 | ||
| ADP Weekly Employment Change | USD | |
| Housing Starts | 1.34M | USD |
| Import Prices m/m | 0.1% | USD |