Group 1 - The Japanese yen briefly rose above the 150 mark against the US dollar, rebounding from an eight-month low due to increased global demand for safe-haven assets driven by bad loans at two US banks [1] - The yen's performance on Friday surpassed most other G10 currencies, with a peak increase of 0.4% to 149.90 yen per dollar, marking the highest level since October 6 [1] - The Swiss franc also appreciated, while US currency and bond yields were dragged down by a sell-off in regional bank stocks [1] Group 2 - Christopher Wong, a foreign exchange strategist, noted that the decline in US Treasury yields has contributed to the ongoing drop in the dollar-yen exchange rate amid risk aversion [3] - Political uncertainty has reduced expectations for a rate hike by the Bank of Japan this month, although the Bank of Japan's Governor indicated a potential tightening of policy if confidence in economic prospects improves [3] - Mark Cranfield highlighted that during the regional banking crisis, the dollar-yen exchange rate fell approximately 800 points from peak to trough, suggesting a potential drop towards the 146 level this month [3]

Core Viewpoint - The National Australia Bank suggests that the Japanese yen may strengthen against the US dollar, potentially surpassing 140 yen per dollar in the second half of this year as the Bank of Japan normalizes its monetary policy [1] Group 1 - The Japanese yen is expected to appreciate against the US dollar due to changes in the Bank of Japan's monetary policy [1] - The forecast indicates a potential exchange rate of over 140 yen per dollar in the latter half of the year [1]