ING: The JPY - FJElite

Despite some sharp moves in Japanese money markets this week, the yen is failing to find any lasting support. Here, the big story is that the Japanese government might be more tolerant of a faster tightening cycle by the Bank of Japan. The prior assumption had been that a government focusing on growth would only allow the BoJ one hike every six months. The suggestion now is that Tokyo has elevated FX as a policy priority and wants to ensure that the first joint intervention with the US to buy the yen since 1998 is a success.

Markets now price close to a 75% chance that the BoJ hikes 25bp in September. That has seen two-year USiJapan swap differentials narrow nearly 40bp since mid-July. That should be weighing on USD/JPY. The fact that it is not may owe to benign conditions that continue to favour the yen-funded carry trade. That said, the risks to funding in yen are squarely increasing, and if we are right with our call for unchanged Fed rates in September, USD/JPY could well be trading back below 158. And to play independent yen strength in the interim, expect a lot more focus on short CHF/JPY positions.