Short answer
The US dollar against the Japanese yen. It is active in the Asian session and again when New York opens, and it reacts strongly to the gap between US and Japanese interest rates.
Most active hours: 00:00–09:00 UTC
Most active hours in your country
| Country | Time zone | Most active hours |
|---|---|---|
| India | IST | 05:30–14:30 |
| Pakistan | PKT | 05:00–14:00 |
| Bangladesh | BST | 06:00–15:00 |
| Nigeria | WAT | 01:00–10:00 |
| Kenya | EAT | 03:00–12:00 |
| South Africa | SAST | 02:00–11:00 |
| Philippines | PHT | 08:00–17:00 |
| Egypt | EET | 02:00–11:00 |
| Saudi Arabia | AST | 03:00–12:00 |
| UAE | GST | 04:00–13:00 |
Times shift by one hour when Europe, the US or Australia change clocks. This page recalculates them in your browser.
How to approach USD/JPY on short expiries
Currency pairs are most predictable when liquidity is high, during the London and New York sessions. Start with 5-minute expiries, trade only inside the active window above, and stand aside around the releases listed below. Outside market hours the quote may be an OTC price set by the broker.
Scheduled releases that move this asset
| Release | How often | UTC | India (IST) | Nigeria (WAT) | UAE (GST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US jobs report (NFP) | Monthly, usually the first Friday | 13:30 | 19:00 | 14:30 | 17:30 |
| US inflation (CPI) | Monthly, around mid-month | 13:30 | 19:00 | 14:30 | 17:30 |
| Federal Reserve rate decision (FOMC) | 8 times a year | 19:00 | 00:30 | 20:00 | 23:00 |
For short expiries many traders pause 15 minutes before and after these releases. Times follow each publisher’s own clock, so they shift when Europe, the US or Australia change clocks. Check the official calendar for exact dates; holidays can move releases.
What moves the price
- Bank of Japan policy
- US Treasury yields
- Risk sentiment: the yen gains in sell-offs
Outside market hours many brokers offer an OTC version of this asset. OTC prices are set by the broker, not the interbank market.