Yen Holds Near ¥158.7 Per Dollar as Intervention Risk Lingers

Dollar strength reflects firmer U.S. data that cooled expectations for further Fed rate cuts.

Overview

In Tokyo on Jan. 16, the yen traded around ¥158.65–¥158.66 per dollar in late morning dealings.
New York trading on Jan. 15 saw the pair in the upper ¥158s after U.S. initial jobless claims came in below forecasts.
Recent U.S. economic readings reduced the likelihood of additional Fed easing, supporting sustained dollar buying against the yen.
Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said the government would not rule out any measures, keeping attention on possible official currency intervention.
Euro–yen hovered near ¥184 as broader cross‑rates reflected the same mix of U.S. data and policy watchfulness.