**Forex Market Update: Dollar Climbs as Fed Signals Steady Rates; Yen Weakens Post-BOJ Meeting**

**By Forex News Team**

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – The U.S. dollar approached a two-year high on Thursday following indications from the Federal Reserve that suggested it will adopt a slower pace for rate cuts in 2025. In contrast, the Japanese yen weakened after the Bank of Japan (BOJ) decided to maintain its current interest rate levels without offering significant insight into future monetary policy.

Earlier in the day, the BOJ’s decision to hold rates steady led to a decline in the yen, which fell as much as 0.3%. The currency continued its downward trend, surpassing the 156 per dollar mark for the first time in a month. By the time of BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda’s post-meeting press conference at 0630 GMT, the yen was trading nearly 1% lower at 156.30 per dollar.

Market participants were keenly awaiting signs of potential BOJ tightening, especially in light of the Fed’s hawkish remarks the previous day. However, Ueda’s comments did not provide any fresh guidance, as he stated that policymakers would need more time to evaluate incoming economic data and the impacts of upcoming U.S. political changes under President-elect Donald Trump.

Christopher Wong, a currency strategist at OCBC, noted, “The Fed’s pause combined with the BOJ’s cautious stance suggests dollar/yen may see continued upward pressure.” This forecast is particularly relevant for forex traders considering long positions on the USD/JPY pair.

The broader impact of the Fed’s hawkish tilt was palpable across global markets, causing significant fluctuations among various currencies. The U.S. dollar’s strength led to the Swiss franc, Canadian dollar, and South Korean won all reaching critical lows during early Asian trading on Thursday.

Nick Rees, senior FX market analyst at Monex Europe, commented, “We believe this decision marks the beginning of an extended pause from the FOMC, warranting caution in trading strategies. We expect U.S. rates to remain stable, at least through the first half of 2025, which may bolster dollar strength in the coming months.”

The Swiss franc dropped to a five-month low at 0.90215 per dollar, while the Canadian dollar fell to its lowest level in over four years, trading at 1.44655 per U.S. dollar. The South Korean won hit a 15-year low, and both the Australian and New Zealand dollars faced significant declines, nearing two-year lows.

In light of these developments, the dollar index steadied at 108.05, maintaining proximity to its two-year peak of 108.27 achieved earlier.

Fed Chairman Jerome Powell highlighted that future reductions in borrowing costs will depend on further progress in curbing persistent inflation. His repeated calls for caution reverberated through global markets, leading to declines in stock prices and increases in yields.

Later in the day, the Bank of England (BoE) is anticipated to announce its policy decision, with expectations leaning towards a pause in rate changes. Ahead of this announcement, the British pound held near a three-week low at $1.26005. Conversely, the euro saw a modest rebound, rising 0.42% to $1.03945 following a steep drop of 1.34% in the prior session.

In the Australian market, the Aussie dollar dipped to $0.6199 before recovering slightly to a trading position of $0.6234, up 0.26%. Meanwhile, the New Zealand dollar reached its weakest level since October 2022 at $0.5608 before slightly climbing to $0.5639, pressured by reports indicating a recession in New Zealand’s economy during the third quarter, thereby strengthening the case for rate cuts.

Forex traders should remain vigilant in the coming sessions, keeping an eye on upcoming economic indicators and central bank developments, which could greatly influence currency volatility and trading strategies.

Image from Reuters via Free Malaysia Today, licensed under CC BY 4.0.