๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ Market Awaiting U.S. CPI โ€” Searching for Direction

๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ Market Awaiting U.S. CPI โ€” Searching for Direction


๐ŸŽฏ Todayโ€™s Focus

January U.S. CPI

The market is in full โ€œCPI-waiting mode.โ€
In Tokyo trading, price action remained choppy, with a mild USD strength / JPY weakness bias in the afternoon.


๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต Tokyo Session Overview

BOJ board member Tamura expressed a relatively hawkish stance, signaling openness to earlier rate hikes.

This briefly supported the yen, but:

  • JPY buying did not sustain

  • USD buying lacked conviction

The result: nervous, directionless swings.


๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Key CPI Expectations

Market consensus:

  • Headline CPI: Expected to slow

  • Core CPI: Also expected to decelerate

Lower gasoline prices are seen weighing on the headline figure.

๐Ÿ”Ž Scenario Breakdown

โœ… Softer-than-expected CPI
โ†’ Rate-cut expectations revive
โ†’ USD selling pressure

โš  Stronger-than-expected CPI
โ†’ Higher-for-longer rate narrative
โ†’ USD buying resumes

Despite the strong U.S. jobs report on the 11th,
USD buying remained limited โ€” suggesting the market may react more strongly to downside inflation surprises.


๐Ÿ’ฑ FX Overview (London Session)

๐Ÿ”น USD/JPY

  • Touched 153.60

  • Likely to hover in the low 153s ahead of CPI

๐Ÿ”น EUR/USD

  • Heavy tone

  • Break below 1.1850 could trigger further downside

๐Ÿ”น GBP/USD

  • Briefly dipped below 1.3600

  • Recovery momentum limited


๐Ÿ”„ Cross-Yen

With USD/JPY testing 153.60:

  • EUR/JPY: 182.01

  • GBP/JPY: 208.79

Price action is currently USD-driven,
and cross-yen pairs are relatively calmer.

However:

  • GBP/JPY slipping back below 208
    โ†’ downside risks expanding


๐Ÿงญ Strategy Ahead of CPI

  • Market may transition into a USD-driven trend post-release

  • Volatility likely to expand sharply

  • Reducing exposure before direction confirms may be prudent


๐Ÿ“Œ Summary

We are in a classic pre-event calm.

Depending on CPI:

  • USD weakness may resume

  • Or USD rebound could unfold

Immediately after release,
algorithmic volatility tends to dominate.

This is a day that demands discipline and composure.

More Insights

๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ Middle East Conflict Stalemate โ€” Markets Lose Direction / U.S. Jobs Report Tonight ๐ŸŒ Market Theme โ€œWar ร— Inflation ร— Uncertaintyโ€ Tensions in the Middle East remain high. Both sides โ€” the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other โ€” continue to signal their willingness to prolong the conflict, with no clear signs of resolution. The situation has effectively entered a phase of strategic stalemate, where each side is testing the other’s endurance. ๐Ÿ›ข Oil as the Key Barometer To gauge the market impact of the Middle East crisis, crude oil futures have become the most important indicator. Key concerns include: Risks surrounding the Strait of Hormuz Potential disruptions to global oil supply Rising inflationary pressure However: The panic selling in equities has somewhat eased The FX market currently lacks strong directional momentum ๐Ÿ’ฑ FX Market Basic structure Geopolitical crisis โ†’ USD buying But at the moment: Position adjustments Headline-driven reactions Interest rate expectations are all interacting. As a result, the market is trading in a nervous range-bound environment, with no decisive catalyst for a sustained USD rally. ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Trump Administration Developments Policies from President Donald Trump are also attracting market attention. Higher oil prices could lead to: Stronger inflation pressure Rising political dissatisfaction ahead of midterm elections According to reports, the administration is considering measures such as: Restrictions on Russian oil exports Intervention in oil futures markets ๐Ÿ‘‰ These steps may indicate efforts to find an exit path from the conflict. Meanwhile, reports suggest that Iran may also be experiencing depletion of missiles and weapon systems. ๐Ÿ“Š Tonightโ€™s Major Event ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ U.S. Employment Report (Nonfarm Payrolls) Market expectations: Indicator Forecast Previous Nonfarm Payrolls +55K +130K Unemployment Rate 4.3% 4.3% Released simultaneously: U.S. Retail Sales Indicator Forecast Month-over-month -0.3% Ex-auto 0.0% ๐Ÿ‘‰ The key focus will be deviation from expectations. However: The approaching weekend Ongoing war-related headlines may limit the durability of any market reaction. ๐Ÿ“Š Other Economic Data Eurozone Final GDP U.S. Business Inventories Canada Ivey PMI Brazil Industrial Production ๐ŸŽ™ Central Bank Events Scheduled speakers include: Mary Daly Jeffrey Schmid Susan Collins Piero Cipollone Isabel Schnabel Additionally, a global central bank conference will discuss: โ€œThe U.S. dollarโ€™s role as a safe-haven asset.โ€ ๐Ÿ“ˆ New Market Theme: Rate Hike Expectations The chain reaction: Middle East conflict โ†’ Higher oil prices โ†’ Rising inflation is bringing back interest rate hike expectations. European short-term rate market ECB rate hike probabilities: Year-end: 80% July: 50% Bank of Japan April hike probability: 50% (according to former BOJ board member Maeda) However, markets may increasingly focus on recession risks rather than rate differentials. ๐Ÿงญ Summary The current market is dominated by war-related headlines. Key drivers: Oil prices Geopolitical developments U.S. employment data At the same time: Panic selling in equities has eased FX markets have lost clear direction For now, the environment can be summarized as: โ€œMarkets move on war headlines and adjust on economic data.โ€ This dynamic is likely to continue in the near term.

๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ Middle East Conflict Stalemate โ€” Markets Lose Direction / U.S. Jobs Report Tonight ๐ŸŒ Market Theme โ€œWar ร— Inflation ร— Uncertaintyโ€ Tensions in the

Read More