By Jemima Kelly
LONDON (Reuters) - The yen edged up against the dollar on Tuesday, as traders doubted that the Bank of Japan will be able to meaningfully weaken the yen when it meets on Wednesday, and betted that the U.S. Federal Reserve will not raise interest rates.
The yen rose 0.3 percent against a broadly weaker greenback to 101.645 yen
The dollar dipped 0.2 percent against a basket of major currencies (DXY).
From Frankfurt, Esther Reichelt said she expected a quiet day, though thin trading volumes could lead to some exaggerated moves not driven by fundamental factors.
"Everybody is just waiting for the BOJ and the Fed – why do anything today?" she said. "Everyone has already positioned for these events and there is no new information that could give them a reason to reposition, so I expect a rather calm day."
BOJ officials have suggested in recent weeks that there is room to cut interest rates further, having taken them into negative territory for the first time earlier this year despite criticism that they are hurting financial institutions and even damaging economic sentiment.
The central bank has acknowledged the potential costs of unorthodox policy, prompting speculation that it will probably seek to steepen the yield curve to mitigate the impact of negative rates on financial institutions.
Yet currency market players are not so sure such a step would help to reverse the yen's rally, amid a growing sense that the BOJ may be running out of ammunition.
"It will be difficult for the BOJ to come up with a measure that will significantly push down the yen," said Koji Fukaya, CEO of FPG Securities in Tokyo.
Dealers note that selling dollar/yen after the BOJ's policy meetings has been a winning strategy this year - the yen gained sharply following the BOJ's last three meetings.
Dollar/yen options pricing suggests the market thinks the risk of the dollar falling below 100 yen is relatively small.
The overwhelming consensus ahead of the result of the Fed's meeting, which will follow the BOJ's, is that it will hold rates steady this week - only a 12 percent chance of a hike is priced in, according to CME FedWatch.
But some market players expect the Fed to drop a clear hint that it will raise rates this year.
That should support the dollar broadly at a time when most other central banks in the world remain in an easing cycle.
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