[MARKET ANALYSIS] USD/JPY extends on Thursday's losses, briefly dipping below 158 following jawboning and a hawkish report

• DXY continues to fall from the 99.40 peak made early in the APAC session, aided by strength in the Japanese yen following comments from Japan’s Finance Minister Katayama (see USD/JPY section).
• EUR/USD oscillates in a 1.1603–1.1614 range amid a lack of clear drivers, with final German CPI figures awaited.
• GBP/USD remains below 1.34 but trades with slight gains in the Asia-Pac session, largely as a function of yen strength weighing on the dollar.
• USD/JPY extends the weakness seen on Thursday following further jawboning by Japan’s Finance Minister Katayama and a Reuters report stating that the BoJ could hike rates as soon as April due to the inflationary effects of a weaker JPY. The pair briefly dipped below 158 before paring back most of the move.
• Antipodeans trade with modest gains despite weakness in Chinese equities and metals.

The USD/JPY's dip below 158 highlights ongoing yen strength fueled by Japan’s Finance Minister's comments and hawkish signals from the BoJ regarding potential rate hikes. This suggests that the market is increasingly pricing in a shift in Japan's monetary policy, which could have implications for the dollar as investors reassess the rate differentials between the two currencies. Watch for further fluctuations as market sentiment shifts in response to these developments.