USD/JPY, Oil Forecast: Two trades to watch

USD/JPY tests the 200 SMA ahead of US CPI

• US CPI is expected to rise 2.7% YoY
• Japanese wholesale inflation rose to 3.7%
• USD/JPY tests 200 SMA resistance

USD/JPY is rising for a third day as Japanese wholesale inflation accelerates ahead of US CPI.

The USD is  rising against its major peers ahead of the highly anticipated US CPI reading, which could provide further insight into the Federal Reserve's outlook for rate cuts.

Expectations are for CPI to rise to 2.7% YoY up from 2.6%. On a monthly basis CPI is expected to rise 0.2% Meanwhile core inflation is expected to hold steady at 3.3%.

A hotter-than-expected inflation could see the market rein in rate cut expectations for next year. The market is pricing in an 86% probability of a 25 basis point rate cut in December, and are looking at around one rate cut per quarter in 2025.

Japanese corporate goods price index (CGPI), which measures the price companies charge for goods and services, increased 3.7% in November ahead of forecasts of 3.4%, marking the quickest pace no price increase since July 2023

The acceleration in wholesale inflation lifted expectations of a 25 basis point rate hike from the Bank of Japan on December 19 to 27%.

USD/JPY Forecast- technical analysis

USD/JPY has recovered from the 100 SMA support, rising back above 150 and is testing the 200 SMA resistance at 152.00.

Buyers will look to break above this level to test 153.85 the 61.8% Fib retracement of the 162 high and 139.50 low. Above here, 157.10, the 78.6% Fib level comes into play.

Failure to rise above the 200 SMA could see sellers test 150.00, the psychological level, ahead of 148.65, the December low, and the 100 SMA.

Oil rises for a third day on China optimism & ahead of the OPEC report

• A looser monetary policy stance in 2025 lifts the demand outlook
• OPEC’s monthly report to provide supply & demand clues
• Oil trades in a familiar holding pattern.

Oil prices are heading higher for a third straight day, supported by optimism surrounding monetary policy change in China.

On Monday, Chinese authorities signaled they would adopt a looser monetary policy stance in 2025 to support the ailing economy.

The prospect of improved growth in China is helping to brighten the outlook for oil demand. In November, China imports rose for the first time in seven months, up 14% year over year.

Still, any changes to the Chinese monetary policy stance would be unlikely to do much in the case of further trade tariffs brought in by Trump.

Attention is now towards the OPEC monthly report, which could provide further insight into the supply and demand outlook. In previous reports group has highlighted increasing supply from outside of OPEC, possible supply surplus next year.

Separately, API oil inventory data shows that oil inventories rose 499k in the week ending Dec 6. Gasoline inventories rise by 2.85 million barrels. Expectations had been for a 900k increase in oil inventories and 1.7 million in gasoline.

Oil Forecast – technical analysis

Oil continues to consolidate in a familiar range, capped on the downside by 67.50 – 67 zone and o the upside by 71.50-72.50.

The longer-term trend is downward, with oil trading below its falling trendline dating back to September 2023 and its 200, 100, and 50 SMAs.

Sellers will look to take out the 67.50 support zone to test 65.25, the 2024 low, and 63.50, the 2023 low.

Buyers will need to rise above the 50 SMA at 70.50 to extend gains towards 71.50-72.50 zone – above here 75.00 comes into play.