{
  "id": 6376766,
  "title": "Yen stands tall as US dollar wobbles",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/yen-stands-tall-as-us-dollar-wobbles-6376766",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-09T02:20:19.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/business/2026/09/09/yen-stands-tall-as-us-dollar-wobbles"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Japanese yen strengthened to 153.65 per US dollar, near a seven-month high, as global markets grappled with rising oil prices and the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Traders faced a turbulent backdrop as Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen attacked several Saudi cities, deepening tensions in an ongoing dispute while US forces targeted multiple Iranian oil tankers and Iran struck a US base in Jordan. Brent crude futures surged over 1.48% to $99.37 per barrel, casting a shadow over markets ahead of a critical US inflation report on Friday, which will influence central bank meetings in the US and Japan.\n\nThe US dollar wobbled, slipping slightly despite the yen's robust performance. The euro remained steady at US$1.1631, while the British pound bought US$1.3546. The dollar index, measuring the US currency against six major currencies, stood at 98.15, nearing its lowest level in nearly two weeks. OCBC strategists highlighted the ongoing impact of higher energy prices and upcoming inflation data as key factors in shaping the dollar's trajectory.\n\nThe yen's rally had been driven by a 4% increase in September, pushing it to a seven-month peak near 152.89 on Tuesday. This surge had benefited the currency in its carry trade positions, where investors borrow yen at low rates to invest in higher-yielding assets. The yen gained against the euro, sterling, and other carry-trade currencies, including the Mexican peso and Turkish lira, fueled by expectations of tighter Bank of Japan (BOJ) policies, Japanese investors repatriating overseas funds, and pressure from Washington for a stronger yen.\n\nAnalysts expected the BOJ to raise interest rates by 25 basis points at its meeting on September 17-18, but the yen's rally would depend on Governor Kazuo Ueda's hawkish statements. The wild card remained the US Federal Reserve, with much hinging on market expectations of its interest rate trajectory. The fair value for the yen was estimated at the 140s, suggesting a further move toward this level was anticipated after the excessive weakness observed earlier. Meanwhile, the Australian dollar rose 0.12% to US$0.7225, near its four-month high, while the New Zealand dollar climbed 0.16% to US$0.5862.",
  "summary": "Oil prices cast a shadow over global markets ahead of Friday's US inflation report, which will set the stage for central bank meetings next week.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Yen stands tall as US dollar wobbles",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/yen-stands-tall-as-us-dollar-wobbles",
        "published": "2026-09-09T02:20:19.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Business Recorder",
        "title": "Yen stands tall as dollar wobbles, oil's run towards $100 chills sentiment",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/yen-stands-tall-as-dollar-wobbles-oils-run-towards-100-chills",
        "published": "2026-09-09T02:44:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}