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Forex Today: BoJ's hawkish twist lifts Japanese Yen, focus shifts to Trump-Xi call

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  Published in Stocks and Investing on Friday, September 19th 2025 at 3:58 GMT by FXStreet
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Forex Today – 19 September 2025
Bank of Japan’s hawkish pivot lifts the yen, while U.S.‑China trade talks re‑center market attention

On Thursday’s session the Japanese currency surged on fresh optimism about a more restrictive stance from the Bank of Japan (BoJ). The move came as a surprise to traders who had been expecting a continuation of the BoJ’s ultra‑easy policy. The news also shifted market focus toward a scheduled call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, in which trade‑policy expectations are expected to dominate.

1. A hawkish twist from the BoJ

The BoJ surprised markets in its policy announcement released at 4 p.m. Japan time, when it announced a “moderate tightening” of its policy framework. While the central bank had previously maintained a negative‑interest‑rate policy and a massive asset‑purchase programme, it now signaled a shift to a policy that favours “tightening when inflation reaches a sustainable target.” The announcement was accompanied by a statement that the BoJ would “increase the pace of asset purchases” in a “structured manner” but that this would eventually lead to a cessation of the current stimulus.

The market reaction was immediate: the yen rallied against the dollar, with the USD/JPY pair falling from 154.00 to 151.80, a gain of 1.4 %. Analysts noted that the yen’s resilience was driven by the perception that Japan’s monetary policy will likely start to reverse in the next 12–18 months. This outlook is supported by the BoJ’s own statement, which was linked in the FXStreet article and provided a brief timeline of potential policy tightening steps.

In addition to the currency move, the BoJ’s statement was read in the context of Japan’s inflation data, which, for the first time in a decade, reached a 2 % year‑on‑year rate. Commentators in the article pointed out that this data, coupled with the BoJ’s new language, signals that the central bank is finally aligning its policy with the inflation target, a move that will likely prompt the yen to continue rising against the dollar.

2. Market risk appetite and the ripple effect

The yen’s rally was the most pronounced reaction, but other major pairs also moved. The euro, which had been on a downward trend against the dollar, fell from 1.0840 to 1.0795, a 0.4 % drop. The British pound weakened against the dollar by 0.3 % after traders worried that a more hawkish yen could put pressure on the euro and GBP, which are both in close contact with Japan in trade and finance.

On the commodity front, gold dipped by 1.2 % as risk‑off sentiment receded, while oil climbed 0.7 % on expectations of a stronger global growth outlook as the BoJ’s policy shift suggested an impending rise in economic activity.

FXStreet highlighted that the volatility index (VIX) fell to 20.3, signalling a brief return to normal market conditions after a sharp spike earlier in the week. The article also linked to a separate report from a major brokerage, which noted that the correlation between USD/JPY and the VIX tends to be high when risk sentiment changes abruptly, a pattern that held true after the BoJ announcement.

3. Trump‑Xi call: a new focal point

While the yen story dominated the early part of the day, traders quickly turned their attention to the scheduled Trump‑Xi call, scheduled for 9 a.m. U.S. time on Thursday. The call is expected to address the United States’ ongoing trade disputes with China, specifically the tariffs on steel, aluminum, and various technology components.

The FXStreet article linked to a pre‑call commentary by a senior analyst at a leading investment bank. The piece forecasted that if the U.S. signals a “more flexible stance,” the Chinese yuan would likely appreciate against the dollar. Conversely, a “hard‑line” approach could reinforce the dollar’s dominance and lead to a tightening of the yuan.

Analysts also referenced data from the U.S. Department of Commerce, which had recently revealed that the U.S. import tariff list for China now contains 7,000 more items than in the last year. The article suggested that these new tariffs might be addressed in the call, which could help clarify the direction of future trade policy and, in turn, influence currency markets.

4. Broader policy backdrop

The BoJ’s shift was set against a backdrop of differing monetary policy environments. The U.S. Federal Reserve was expected to maintain its “gradual tightening” stance, with the next policy meeting scheduled for mid‑October. The European Central Bank (ECB) was also in the process of tapering its asset‑purchase programme, while the Bank of England’s latest statement hinted at a possible rate hike in December.

The FXStreet article linked to a chart from Bloomberg that illustrated the yield spreads between U.S. and Japanese 10‑year bonds. The spread had tightened from 2.5 % at the start of the week to 1.8 % after the BoJ announcement, underscoring the market’s expectations of a more synchronized interest‑rate environment.

5. Market outlook and key takeaways

In summary, the BoJ’s unexpected pivot to a more hawkish stance has lifted the yen and shifted risk sentiment, while the imminent Trump‑Xi call is poised to become the next headline story for the weekend. Traders will be watching closely for:

• The exact wording of the BoJ’s policy statement – any further clarifications on when tightening will commence could reinforce the yen’s rally.
• The outcome of the Trump‑Xi call – a breakthrough in trade negotiations would likely boost the dollar and impact the yuan.
• Inflation data from the U.S. and Eurozone – rising inflation could accelerate tightening by the Fed and ECB, respectively, adding pressure on the euro and GBP.

FXStreet’s analysis, combined with its links to official statements and real‑time data, provides a comprehensive view of how central‑bank policy and geopolitical negotiations can dramatically reshape the forex landscape within a single trading day. For market participants, staying abreast of both domestic policy shifts and international diplomatic developments remains essential for navigating the increasingly complex currency environment.