USD/JPY unch. at Y108.02, with...........>

DOLLAR-YEN: USD/JPY unch. at Y108.02, with Japanese CPI coming up later today.

- The rate lost altitude through Thursday's Asia-Pacific session, after the yen

started to gain ground into the Tokyo fix. Souring outlook helped maintain the

bearish tone. Some fluctuations were seen as the BoJ left its monetary policy

settings unchanged, but kept further easing on the table by noting it will

re-examine economic & price developments at the next meeting. USD/JPY extended

losses thereafter before bouncing into Europe and during BoJ Gov Kuroda's

post-MonPol presser (he said he is "more positive on further easing"). What

followed was a period of mostly sideways trade, contained to a ~20 pip range.

- A break below the nearby 100-DMA at Y107.95 would bring the Sep 16 low of

Y107.46 into play. The level also represents the 61.8% retracement of the Aug

decline. Bulls eye Thursday's/Wednesday's highs at Y108.47/48.

- A snr South Korean off'l told BBG that Japan is delaying the shipment of

liquid hydrogen fluoride, a key material used in chipmaking, to South Korea.

Yomiuri reported that both Asian nations will forgo the upcoming UN summit in

New York, with their bilateral working level talks due to go underway today.