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The USD/JPY pair experienced a significant drop to 159.06, driven by sharp declines following the release of unexpectedly low US inflation figures and potential interventions from Japanese authorities.

On Thursday, the pair plunged nearly 3%, prompted by US inflation data and rumors of Tokyo's intervention to bolster the yen, which is nearing 38-year lows. Masato Kanda, Japan's chief currency diplomat, hinted at readiness to intervene in the currency market but remained non-committal about the specific actions taken the previous evening.

Market participants are left to speculate on the nature of these moves as official data that could confirm government interventions will only be available at the end of the month. Reports from Asahi suggest that interventions did occur, while Nikkei highlighted the BoJ's inspections of banks' euro-yen rates, potentially escalating market tensions and supporting the yen's strength.

USD/JPY technical analysis

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The USD/JPY chart shows a second correction impulse down to 157.40. The potential for a recovery to 159.60 is noted, which would serve as a test from below. A subsequent decline to 157.22 is anticipated. This bearish outlook is supported by the MACD indicator, whose signal line is below zero, indicating a downward trend.

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The H1 chart confirms the formation of a downward trajectory towards 157.22, with the immediate target of 157.40 already achieved. A rebound to 159.60 is expected, followed by another decline to the target level. The Stochastic oscillator aligns with this analysis, showing a signal line above 80 and preparing for a downward adjustment to 20, suggesting potential for further declines.

Investors and traders will closely watch further statements from Japanese officials and the forthcoming official statistics to clarify the situation, as these factors will significantly influence the yen's trajectory in the near term.

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