Technical Analysis: USD/JPY needs to consolidate before the next leg up,

152.00 resistance-turned-support holds the key for bulls

From a technical perspective, the post-US CPI breakout through a two-week-old trading range resistance near the 152.00 mark favors bullish traders. That said, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) on the daily chart – though has eased from higher levels – is hovering near overbought territory. This makes it prudent to wait for some near-term consolidation or a modest pullback before positioning for any further appreciating move. In the meantime, the multi-decade high, around the 153.25-153.30 region, now seems to act as an immediate hurdle, above which the USD/JPY pair could aim to reclaim the 154.00 round figure.

On the flip side, any meaningful corrective decline below the overnight swing low, around the 152.75 zone, is more likely to attract fresh buyers and remain limited near the trading range breakout point, now turned support, near the 152.00 mark. The said handle should now act as a strong base for the USD/JPY pair, which if broken decisively might prompt some profit-taking and pave the way for a slide towards the 151.40 intermediate support en route to the 151.00 round figure. Some follow-through selling will suggest that spot prices have topped out in the near term and shift the bias in favor of bearish traders