Yen soars on rate hike prospects
Japan’s yen is on a tear as markets go all-in on bets the central bank is poised to lift rates out of negative territory. The currency leapt more than 1.8 percent last night when Bank of Japan Governor Ueda told Parliament monetary policy decisions could “become even more challenging from year end and heading into next year,” adding fuel to speculation that began a day earlier when Deputy Governor Himini argued that positive interest rates could prove economically-beneficial. We consider Himini’s comments extremely meaningful—they mark a significant change in Bank orthodoxy and should be read as preparing the ground for...