• The Pound is ticking higher, but remains capped below 211.60 resistance.
• The Yen struggles amid a mild risk appetite and thin trading volumes.
• UK Manufacturing PMI is expected to confirm that business activity accelerated in December.

The Sterling has opened the year in a mild bullish trend against the Japanese Yen, despite the overall New Year’s market lull, but remains capped below the top of the last two weeks’ range, at the 211.50 area.

The Yen is on its back foot on Friday amid a moderate market sentiment, with trading volumes at low levels as markets in China and Japan remain closed for the New Year festivities.

In the UK, the final S&P Manufacturing PMI release is expected to confirm that the sector’s activity accelerated to 51.2 in December from 50.2 in November. The release, however, will have a limited impact on the Pound, unless there is a significant revision of the preliminary estimations.

Technical analysis: Intraday charts show a bearish divergence

The GBP/JPY trades at 211.17, after an unsuccessful attempt to break the 211.50 area earlier on the day. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands at 57.50, highlighting a modestly bullish tone, añthough a bearish divergence with price action suggests the pòsibility of a bearish reversal.

Immediate support remains at the area between the trendline resistance, around 210.15, and the December 24 low, at 210.05A clear break of these levels is likely to increase pressure towards the mid-December lows, around 208.90.

Bulls, on the contrary, need to break long-term highs, at 211.59 (December 22 high). Above here, the 127.2% Fibonacci extension of the December 15-22 rally, at 212.75, and the 161.8% extension of the same cycle, at 214.38, emerge as the next potential targets.

(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool)