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Asian currencies moved within a narrow range on Monday as thin holiday trading and steady U.S. dollar performance limited major price swings. Market closures in China, Taiwan, and South Korea reduced regional liquidity, while U.S. markets were also shut, keeping the dollar index largely unchanged after mixed U.S. inflation data.
The Japanese yen weakened after disappointing fourth-quarter GDP figures highlighted slower-than-expected economic growth. The USD/JPY pair rose 0.2% following data showing that Japan’s economy expanded well below forecasts. Soft business investment weighed heavily on growth, while exports and private consumption also remained subdued. The weak GDP reading suggests that fiscal stimulus introduced in late 2025 has yet to deliver meaningful momentum. With Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s coalition holding a supermajority in the lower house, markets anticipate the possibility of additional fiscal spending. However, concerns over Japan’s rising fiscal burden and reduced expectations for further Bank of Japan interest rate hikes continue to pressure the yen.
The U.S. dollar held steady after January’s consumer price index report delivered mixed signals. Headline inflation came in slightly below expectations, while core CPI matched forecasts. The dollar index retained much of last week’s losses as investors weighed uncertainty surrounding the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook and an upcoming leadership transition. A sharp decline in U.S. equities also dampened demand for the greenback.
Analysts note that further dollar weakness may be limited if upcoming U.S. economic data, including industrial production, trade figures, and the PCE price index, show resilience. The Federal Reserve’s January meeting minutes are also in focus.
Elsewhere, the Australian dollar hovered near three-year highs after hawkish signals from the Reserve Bank of Australia. The Indian rupee edged toward 90.7 per dollar, while the Singapore dollar softened after weaker non-oil exports data. Offshore yuan trading saw modest gains amid Lunar New Year demand expectations, with mainland Chinese markets closed for the week.
