Currency

The Japanese yen experienced a dramatic rebound after hitting its weakest point in three decades against the U.S. dollar, igniting speculation of intervention from the Bank of Japan, which opted to maintain interest rates. This volatility in the market stemmed from concerns about the yen's continued depreciation and its potential impact on inflation.

The U.S. labor market showed signs of cooling in April, with job growth falling below expectations and wage gains moderating. This data has prompted investors to believe that the Federal Reserve may be more inclined to cut interest rates twice this year, potentially easing the pressure on the U.S. economy.

Asian stock markets closed higher on Friday, extending their gains for the third consecutive week, as investors cheered fresh signs of an easing U.S. labor market and grew more optimistic about the possibility of interest rate cuts later this year. The MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.66%, putting it on track for a nearly 1% gain for the week.

The dollar held steady on Thursday as traders awaited next week's US inflation data, while hawkish opinions from Bank of Japan members helped slow the yen's decline. The market remains bearish on the yen due to the significant difference between Japan's ultra-low yields and those in the United States.

The Japanese yen saw a surge against the U.S. dollar in early Asian trading hours, attributed to suspicions of Japanese authorities intervening to prevent the yen from sliding further. The move followed statements from the Federal Reserve indicating a delay in interest rate cuts, leading to the yen's weakening against the dollar by about 10% this year.