USD/JPY breaks 100-day MA and 160.00 to 160.15 on hawkish Fed, yield surge

USD/JPY has extended its advance, clearing both the 100-day moving average at 159.994 and the psychological 160.00 barrier, printing a session high at 160.15 with buyers retaining firm control. The breakout was fuelled by hawkish commentary from the Fed chair and a sharp repricing of US rates: the 2-year yield jumped nearly 11 basis points to 4.34%, while the 10-year yield added 5.2 basis points to 4.724%. Widening US-Japan rate differentials remain the dominant driver for the pair, restoring carry appeal for dollar longs against the yen. Technically, the 159.99-160.00 zone now converts from resistance into initial support; holding above it keeps the bullish structure intact and opens scope toward the next round-number objectives above 160.50. A decisive close back beneath the 100-day moving average would neutralise the breakout and shift focus back into the prior range. Traders should remain alert to Japanese verbal intervention risk, which has historically intensified as USD/JPY trades in the 160 area, potentially triggering sharp but short-lived corrective pullbacks.