USD/JPY last trades a touch higher at....>

DOLLAR-YEN: USD/JPY last trades a touch higher at Y111.69.

- The pair had edged lower initially, touching its session low of Y111.45, as

investors were cautious ahead of the Golden Week holidays in Japan. A soft

opening for the Nikkei 225 had also applied some pressure to the cross.

- However, the rate pared its earlier gains into the Tokyo fix, even as

benchmark Japanese equity index remained in negative territory.

- On the data front, Japanese industrial output slid into contractionary

territory, printing at -0.9% M/M vs. the MNI consensus forecast of -0.1%. Tokyo

CPI and retail sales topped expectations, while unemployment rate ticked higher

to 2.5% from 2.3%.

- After a brief look above, bulls look for a clean breach of Y111.75, which

represents the up trendline support-turned-resistance from the Jan 3 flash crash

low. Above here opens the Y112.00 mark. Meanwhile, the downside focus falls on

the 200-DMA at Y111.51, followed by the 50-DMA situated at Y111.31.

- Japanese m'fing PMI (f) hits on Wednesday, while the country's markets will be

be closed for the aforementioned holidays throughout next week.