Yen shines as AI jitters spur safe-haven rush

The Japanese yen rose 0.3% to 156.28 per dollar on Friday, reaching its strongest point in over a month as investors sought safer assets amid renewed doubts about the AI spending boom. Business Recorder reported that the currency was on course for a 1% weekly advance, its biggest since early September, while the dollar index stood at 101.52 after hitting 101.44 the previous day.

US 10-year Treasury yields stayed near a one-month low at 4.953% after falling as equities retreated, while Brent futures climbed above $114 per barrel following Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia. Japan’s core inflation exceeded the Bank of Japan’s 2% target in September, strengthening expectations of a possible rate increase, with the central bank’s policy meeting due next week. The market moves show how changing risk appetite and energy-supply concerns are shaping currency and bond trading.