As trading resumed after Japan's holiday, the yen's decline continued and USD/JPY has approached the key 160 level after two weeks of weakness. Strategists say that following the Bank of Japan's September rate hike, renewed depreciation would make 160 a critical test of Tokyo's tolerance for a weaker yen. Commonwealth Bank of Australia FX strategist Carol Kong said if U.S. Treasury yields keep rising and markets probe Japan's willingness to defend the currency, USD/JPY could soon break 160. A ra

U.S. mortgage rates hit their highest level in more than two years, adding pressure to a housing market already strained by high prices and weak sales. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) said the contract rate on 30-year fixed mortgages rose 15 bps in the week ended Sept. 18 to 7.12%, the highest since May 2024. The 5-year adjustable-rate mortgage rate fell 13 bps to 6.10%. Rates have trended higher since February after the Iran conflict pushed energy prices and reignited inflation concerns; the Fed last week delivered its first policy-rate increase since 2023. Mortgage demand weakened: the MBA purchase index fell 0.8% to a four-week low and the refinancing index dropped 2.6% to its weakest level since Feb. 2025. A sustained move above 7% could further damp housing demand.

中国香港8月贸易帐 -712.42亿港元，前值-49亿港元。