USD/JPY Price Analysis: Treads water inside 40-pip trading range near 149.00

• USD/JPY remains indecisive after a volatile start to the week.
• Immediate resistance line joins previous support from late September to restrict nearby moves.
• Sustained trading above the key SMAs, the receding bearish bias of MACD keeps buyers hopeful.

USD/JPY holds onto the day-start inaction around 149.00 as European traders brace for Tuesday’s work. In doing so, the yen pair remains inside a 40-pip trading area established after a rollercoaster start to the week.

That said, the support-turned-resistance line from September 22, around 149.00 by the press time, restricts the yen pair’s immediate downside. Alternatively, a descending trend line joining the quote’s retreat from early Monday’s peak, near 148.60, acts as the adjacent resistance.

It’s worth noting that the USD/JPY remains well above the key moving averages and has been getting less bearish signals from the MACD of late, which in turn suggests the quote’s run-up towards the 150.00 threshold.

Following that, the recently flashed 32-year high near 152.00 and June 1990 peak surrounding 155.80 will be in focus.

Alternatively, a downside break of 148.60 could drag the USD/JPY prices toward the 100-SMA and 200-SMA, respectively near 147.00 and 145.30.

If the quote drops below 145.30, the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement level of the pair’s run-up between September 22 and October 21, close to 144.80, could act as the last defense of the bulls.

Overall, USD/JPY remains on the buyer’s radar but the short-term moves appear less impressive.

USD/JPY: Four-hour chart

Trend: Further recovery expected