News On Japan

Yen Surges Against US Dollar

TOKYO - The yen surged nearly 5 yen against the dollar late on July 30, briefly reaching the upper 157 range and prompting speculation that the Japanese government and Bank of Japan had intervened in the foreign exchange market.

The Japanese currency had been trading in the upper 162 range against the dollar on the evening of July 30 before buying accelerated shortly after 10:30 p.m., pushing it rapidly to the upper 157 range.

It was the first time the yen had reached the 157 level since May, and some market participants said the government and central bank may have conducted yen-buying and dollar-selling intervention.

The government and Bank of Japan carried out foreign exchange intervention totaling about 11.7 trillion yen from late April through May. However, the yen returned to its previous weak levels in less than two months, leaving uncertainty over whether intervention can halt its underlying depreciation.

Source: TBS

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