Currency

Asian shares remained stable on Thursday following strong Chinese trade data indicating an uptick in domestic demand, while the yen steadied after Japan discussed possible currency interventions. Investors awaited decisions from the Bank of England on interest rates and looked towards U.S. inflation data for insights into the Fed’s policy direction.

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 focused on the upcoming inflation data, which will be crucial in determining the Federal Reserve's future policy decisions.

The U.S. dollar weakened compared to the Japanese yen after data revealed slower jobs growth than expected in April, leading to speculations that the Federal Reserve may cut rates twice this year. Despite the soft employment data, the Fed remains cautious about cutting rates due to steady inflation trends and the overall health of the economy.

The Japanese yen experienced a sudden surge against the dollar on Thursday, likely triggered by intervention from Japanese authorities aiming to curb the currency's sharp decline. This move came amidst a period of relative calm in the market, following the closure of the US stock market and the conclusion of the Federal Reserve's monetary policy meeting.

Asian stocks rose to an over a year high on Monday amid speculations of a potential Federal Reserve rate cut, causing a weakening of the yen after suspected currency intervention by Tokyo. Chinese markets saw gains as well, with the outcome of the country's Politburo meeting indicating support for the economy through monetary and fiscal policies.