USD/JPY holds steady near weekly highs amid mixed US data

• USD/JPY posts gains for the second straight day but loses some steam.
• Mixed economic data from the US tumbled US bond yields and boosted the US Dollar.
• The latest Tokyo inflation report pushed back expectations of monetary policy normalization by the Bank of Japan.

USD/JPY is virtually unchanged late in the North American session, hovers at around the current week's highs after hitting a daily low of 146.55, exchanges hands at around 147.28, and gains 0.05%.

Sour market sentiment keeps USD/JPY trapped at around 147.20

Wall Street is posting losses, except for the Nasdaq 100, which is up 0.15%. Economic data in the United States (US) was mixed as the JOLTs Job Opening report revealed the labor market is cooling after the data registered a two-and-a-half-year low, missing estimates and September’s figures. Nevertheless, the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) announced that business activity in the services sector expanded and smashed forecasts. The Non-Manufacturing PMI in November rose by 52.7, above the 52 foreseen and October’s 51.8.

Following the data, the US Dollar Index (DXY) seesawed but resumed its uptrend, posting two-week highs at 104.10. Contrarily, US bond yields tumbled, with the 10-year benchmark note coupon, closely correlated to the USD/JPY pair, dropping nine basis points to 4.16%, a headwind for the major.

Despite that, traders continued to reinforce their view the US Federal Reserve (Fed) finished its tightening cycle. They estimate the Fed would slash 137 basis points to the Federal Funds Rate (FFR), suggesting that reference rates will be at around 4%.

Aside from this, Tokyo’s CPI report showed that prices are cooling, pushing out expectations for a Bank of Japan (BoJ) liftoff.

The focus turns to the release of further US employment data. The ADP Employment Change would be released on Wednesday, followed by Thursday’s unemployment claims and Friday's Nonfarm Payrolls.

USD/JPY Technical Levels