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USD/JPY Continues to hold 20-day EMA amid fears of Middle East war escalation
- USD/JPY edges down to near 159.55 as the US Dollar ticks lower.
- US President Trump promises an assault on Iran if it doesn’t reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
- Investors await the US ISM Services PMI data for March.
The USD/JPY pair trades marginally down at around 159.55 during the Asian trading session on Monday. The pair shows a subdued performance as the US Dollar (USD) ticks lower, while broadly remaining firm due to threats from United States (US) President Donald Trump that he will destroy Iranian infrastructure if it doesn’t agree to a deal.
During the press time, the US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback’s value against six major currencies, trades marginally lower to near 100.15.
Over the weekend, US President Trump promised “hell” for Iran’s power plants and bridges, through a post on Truth.Social, if Tehran doesn’t reopen the Strait of Hormuz before the deadline, which is Tuesday, April 7, at 9:00 PM Eastern time.
On the macro front, investors await the US ISM Services PMI data for March, which will be released at 14:00 GMT. The Services PMI is expected to arrive lower at 55.0 from 56.1 in February.
Meanwhile, fears of escalating Middle East war have also improved the safe-haven demand of the Japanese Yen (JPY).
USD/JPY technical analysis
USD/JPY ticks lower at around 159.55 as of writing. However, the near-term bias is bullish as price holds within an ascending channel and consolidates beneath the upper boundary. The pair trades above the 20-day exponential moving average around 158.90, which underpins the advance and aligns with the pattern of higher lows along the channel floor near 158.10.
The 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) has shifted into the 40.00-60.00 zone, indicating positive, though not extreme, momentum that supports ongoing upside pressure while the channel structure is respected.
Initial resistance emerges at 160.45, the recent swing high, with the channel top near 161.00 as the next barrier to extended gains. A clear break above the latter would open the way toward higher psychological levels beyond 162.00. On the downside, immediate support is seen at the 20-day EMA near 158.90, ahead of the channel base around 158.10, which defines the lower boundary of the current uptrend. A daily close below 158.10 would weaken the bullish structure and expose deeper retracement levels toward the mid-157.00s.
