The Japanese yen strengthened past 161.5 per dollar on Friday, erasing all of its losses from earlier in the week as traders remained alert to the possibility of official intervention after the currency weakened to fresh 40-year lows. Market participants are now awaiting intervention data due later this month to determine whether Japanese authorities were behind the sharp but short-lived rallies seen in recent weeks. Investors also assessed data showing Japan’s producer prices climbed 7.1% in June, marking the fastest annual increase since March 2023 amid persistent cost pressures linked to the Middle East conflict and the yen’s sharp depreciation. Meanwhile, oil prices retreated after reports indicated that the US and Iran will continue peace negotiations despite a recent escalation in hostilities. That weighed on the dollar and Treasury yields while easing pressure on the yen by reducing import cost concerns for Japan, which depends heavily on Middle Eastern oil.
