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- AUD/JPY loses ground to around 114.30 in Tuesday’s Asian session.
- BoJ kept the policy rate unchanged at 0.75% at its April policy meeting on Tuesday.
- The Australian March CPI inflation report will be the highlight later on Wednesday.
The AUD/JPY cross declines to near 114.30 during the Asian trading hours on Tuesday. The Japanese Yen (JPY) strengthens against the Australian Dollar (AUD) after the Bank of Japan’s (BoJ) interest rate decision. Traders will closely monitor Governor Kazuo Ueda’s press conference for any hints about the next move.
As widely expected, the BoJ decided to hold the short-term interest rate steady at 0.75% after concluding its two-day monetary policy review meeting on Tuesday. According to the BoJ’s policy statement, the central bank will continue to raise interest rates in accordance with developments in the economy, prices, and financial markets. It said wages and prices may face upward pressure more than what the output gap suggests. The BoJ will scrutinize the timing and pace of policy adjustment with a close eye on economic and price impact from Middle East war developments.
The attention will shift to the BoJ’s Governor Kazuo Ueda press conference for more clues about the interest rate path in Japan. Any hawkish comments from policymakers could lift the JPY and act as a headwind for the cross.
On the Aussie front, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is anticipated to raise the Official Cash Rate (OCR) for a third consecutive time at its next meeting on May 5, 2026. Markets are pricing in a 74% chance of another 25-basis-point increase to 4.35% in the May policy meeting, according to Reuters.
Traders will take more cues from the Australian March Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation data on Wednesday for fresh impetus. The headline CPI is projected to show a rise of 4.7% YoY in March, compared to 3.7% in February. Any signs of hotter inflation in Australia could lift the Aussie against the JPY.
