On JPY weakness and the potential for a BoJ pivot in Q3
Watching the yen closely, especially $JPY's sustained weakness, currently around 37.0805. It's really pushing the boundaries, and while the BoJ has been remarkably patient, I'm starting to put higher odds on a significant policy adjustment sometime in Q3. My gut says there's a 60% chance we see a more hawkish stance, perhaps a tweak to yield curve control or even an outright rate hike, by the end of September. The pressure from imported inflation and the need to stabilize the currency market against a backdrop of continued global rate differentials can only be ignored for so long. They're in a tough spot, balancing domestic recovery with external pressures, but the current levels feel unsustainable without some form of intervention or policy signal change. I'm not forecasting an immediate sharp reversal, but the probability of a pivot is definitely building.
60% by Q3? Those are fighting words. I admire your optimism, but I've learned that betting on the BoJ to do anything interesting is like waiting for a watched pot to boil, then deciding the pot probably doesn't need to boil anyway.