ForexLive Asia-Pacific FX news wrap: USD/JPY with a small bounce

• Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas’ Logan is speaking just prior to market close on Friday
• Swiss National Bank’s Tschudin says policy choices include FX intervention, negative rates
• New (nominee to) Bank of Japan board Junko Koeda approved by Japan’s lower house
• The US Department of Veterans Affairs has dismissed more than 1,000 employees
• Goldman Sachs scenario for 2025 TTF 36%-56% below their 50 eur/mwh base case
• TikTok has returned to US app stores – Apple and Google
• Judge orders Trump administration to restore funds for foreign aid programs
• South Korea’s acting President Choi Sang-mok says lifting of short selling ban is on track
• Goldman Sachs: Trump’s Trade Strategy Signals Potential Tariffs and Negotiation Leverage
• Rubio’s turned around plane drama turned around the USD for a little while also, tiny move
• Reports that US Sec State Rubio’s plane on its way to Munich has turned back
• Gold on the move, trading above US$2933
• PBOC sets USD/ CNY reference rate for today at 7.1706 (vs. estimate at 7.2739)
• Japan chief cabinet secretary Hayashi will respond appropriately to US tariffs
• US Treasury Secretary Bessent speaks on tariffs creating inflation
• Reserve Bank of Australia expected to cut its cash rate by 25bp on February 18
• Singapore Q4 GDP blasted higher than estimates at 5% y/y (expected 4.7%)
• Japan economy minister Akazawa says the weak yen impacts on the real economy
• Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) expected to cut reduce interest rates by 50bp on Feb 19
• Trump – Modi press conference: Modi says set target to double bilateral trade
• Trump – Modi press conference: Strong cooperation with India, Australia, and Japan crucial
• Meta Platforms (META) announce quarterly dividend of $0.525 per share (prior $0.50)
• Citi project Brent crude oil prices to average between $60 and $65 during second half 2025
• Navarro says German auto tariffs are grossly unfair
• The Fed’s preferred inflation measure is PCE – here are estimates from 13 investment banks
• Trump says India will buy oil from the US
• New Zealand Food Price Index (FPI) for January 2025: +1.9% m/m (prior +0.1%)
• GameStop is considering investing in bitcoin and other crypto
• Business NZ January Manufacturing PMI 51.4 (vs. prior 45.9)
• Stocks closing higher once again. Meta 19 straight days of gains
• Forexlive Americas FX news wrap: US dollar falls as the market shrugs off tariffs
• Trade ideas thread – Friday, 14 February, insightful charts, technical analysis, ideas

The
USD traded in a small range only here today. AUD, NZD, CAD all moved
a little higher while EUR, GBP, CHF are really not a lot net
changed.
Oil has been steady. Gold moved higher but ran out of steam above
US$2932. Earlier in the week it topped just over US$2940 and its not
going to just waltz through that top without doing some work in the
area first.

USD/JPY
was a bit more active, continuing its Thursday down trend initially,
to lows just under 152.50 before bouncing back to 153.00.

News
and data flow was light.

We
had NZ data, the January manufacturing PMI moved into expansion for
the first time in 23 months! An inflation measure, the Food Price
Index, jumped from +0.1% m/m in December to +1.9% in January. The
Reserve Bank of New Zealand meet next Wednesday and the consensus is
for a 50bp cut.

From
Singapore we had Q4 GDP growth coming in higher than estimated.

From
the Japanese parliament, Junko Koeda, nominated to join the monetary
policy board of the Bank of Japan, was approved in a lower house
vote. The upper house votes next Wednesday and given the government
majority seems assured of taking her place at the big table.

This article was written by Eamonn Sheridan at www.forexlive.com.