CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Trust (NYSEArca: FXY) remains under intense pressure in the wake of incoming Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s recent election victory amid rising speculation the Bank of Japan will announce further monetary easing.
FXY, a currency ETF designed to track the movement of the Japanese yen versus the U.S. dollar, was down 1% in afternoon trading Wednesday.
The yen fell to the lowest level against the greenback since late 2010 after minutes from the Bank of Japan’s November meeting showed some determination to push the nation’s currency lower to support the troubled economy, MarketWatch reports.
Abe wants the central bank to boost its inflation target and has pledged to pressure the Bank of Japan to launch unlimited monetary easing to revive the economy. [Japanese Yen ETF Falls to Two-Year Low]
Some investors who are bullish on Japanese stocks but bearish on the yen have been using WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund (NYSEArca: DXJ) to express this view. The ETF, which recently rose above $1 billion in assets, invests in Japan but hedges its currency exposure. [Currency-Hedged Japan ETF Surges to $1 Billion After Election]
“I believe Japan’s stocks are attractively priced, and many are optimistic about recently elected Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s intention to pull Japan out of deflation and correct the strong yen which has punished the country’s exporters,” said Jeremy Schwartz, WisdomTree Director of Research. “By hedging its exposure to the yen, DXJ offers a way to more fully access the return potential of Japanese equities in a weakening yen environment.”