Subject of emergency alert message arrested - May 2, 2024 | SaltWire #dartmouth #update #suspectSINGAPORE - Asian stocks rallied on Friday after Apple's record $110 billion share buyback plan lifted the tech sector, while the yen put more distance from recent 34-year lows to cap a tumultuous week that saw suspected interventions from Tokyo.
In between, traders suspect the authorities stepped in on at least two days this week and data from the BOJ suggests Japanese officials may have spent roughly $60 billion to defend the beleaguered yen, leaving trading desks across the globe on high alert foe further moves by Tokyo. While there has been two bouts of suspected MOF interventions, another $20 billion of yen buying on Friday would really scare off the yen shorts and get dollar/yen below 150, Chris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone, said in a note.
The Federal Reserve this week left rates unchanged and signalled that its next policy move will be to lower its rates, though chair Jerome Powell noted that recent strong inflation readings have suggested that the first of these cuts could be a long time in coming.