Will the dollar-yen exchange rate hold steady in the low 162-yen range following the release of U.S. retail sales data?

Will the dollar-yen exchange rate hold steady in the low 162-yen range following the release of U.S. retail sales figures?

17.07.2026 New

In the U.S. currency market the previous day, the resilience of the U.S. economy came into focus as U.S. retail sales for June rose 0.2% month-over-month and initial jobless claims for the previous week fell to 208,000. While lower gasoline prices weighed on overall retail sales, auto sales and online sales provided support.The dollar-yen pair traded within a range of 161.98 to 162.17 yen in the Tokyo session and stood at around 162.08 yen as of 5:00 p.m.Following the release of U.S. economic indicators, the pair has been consolidating around the 162.00 level in response to U.S. interest rate movements. On the upside, the 162.50 level is likely to be watched, while on the downside, the 161.50 to 161.00 range is likely to be a key focus.Today’s schedule includes U.S. June housing starts, building permits, June industrial production, and the July University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index; we will be watching to see if the U.S. dollar’s rebound continues.

European currencies came under pressure as the eurozone’s May trade balance posted a deficit of 7.8 billion euros—a deterioration from the surplus recorded in the same month last year—highlighting concerns that rising imports were worsening the balance of trade. Meanwhile, the trend of a weaker U.S. dollar, driven by slowing U.S. inflation, persisted, causing the euro/dollar exchange rate to hold steady in the mid-1.14 range.The euro/dollar pair traded within a range of 1.1461 to 1.1476 in the Tokyo session and stood near 1.1469 as of 5:00 p.m.With resistance near 1.1500 and support ranging from 1.1430 to around 1.1400, the immediate focus is likely to be on whether the pair can maintain its position in the upper 1.14 range.The Eurozone’s June Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP, revised) is scheduled for release today, and we will be watching to see if the euro can establish a clear direction after confirmation of slowing inflation.

Today’s economic indicators include the Eurozone’s May current account balance at 17:00, the Eurozone’s June Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP, revised) and core index at 18:00, U.S. June housing starts at 21:30,U.S. June Building Permits, U.S. June Import Price Index, U.S. June Export Price Index, U.S. June Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization at 10:15 p.m., and the U.S. July University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index (Preliminary) at 11:00 p.m.In particular, during European trading hours, the Eurozone HICP is likely to be a key factor, while during New York trading hours, U.S. housing-related indicators and consumer confidence will likely drive the market; we should carefully monitor the reactions of the U.S. dollar, the yen, and the euro.