A person familiar with the matter said the New York Federal Reserve ran rate checks on the dollar/yen currency pair around midday on Friday. The inquiries by the NY Fed - which acted as fiscal agent for the U.S. Treasury - came as the greenback weakened sharply versus the yen.
Market quotes show the dollar fell from roughly 157.50 yen near midday to a four-week low of 155.66 in the afternoon. By the close of the observed period, the dollar was down 1.6% at 155.85 yen.
Rate checks are a tool monetary authorities use to gauge market depth and pricing. In this instance, officials queried dealers about the price they would obtain if they entered the market - a mechanism that can also serve as a signal of readiness to intervene.
Requests for comment from the U.S. Treasury did not receive a response, according to follow-up inquiries.
Traders have been alert to the possibility of intervention by Japanese authorities as the yen has approached the 160-per-dollar threshold. Whether an actual intervention took place could be inferred from data the Bank of Japan plans to publish on Monday at 1800 JST (0900 GMT).
Analysts noted that U.S. monetary authorities stepping into what began as a Japanese currency matter is not typical, though it has occurred before. The sequence of the NY Fed's rate checks and the subsequent move in the exchange rate underscores the sensitivity of the dollar/yen cross to official signaling in times of pronounced currency moves.
Context and next steps
Market participants are likely to examine the Bank of Japan's forthcoming release for indications that would make it possible to determine whether intervention occurred. In the absence of a direct confirmation from authorities, such official data may provide the clearest indication of any central-bank or fiscal-agency activity in the foreign-exchange market.