USD/JPY challenges psychological hurdle of 107 as US yields rise

• USD/JPY rises as US yields and stock futures extend Friday's rally. 
• While US jobs data was dismal, it was somewhat better than estimates. 
• Japan is planning to lift the state of emergency in some prefectures. 

USD/JPY is better bid on Monday with the US yields gaining ground and the US stock futures pointing to an extension of Friday's rally on Wall Street. 

The pair is currently trading at 106.95, representing a 0.35% gain on the day, having hit a high of 107.01 a few minutes before press time. The pair found bids 106.50. 

US yields rise

The yield on the two-year Treasury note is trading at 0.17% - up two basis points on the day - and the 10-year yield is seen at 0.70%, also up more than two basis points on the day. 

Moreover, the two-year yield is extending Friday's recovery from the record low of 0.09% and the S&P 500 futures are up 0.4%, indicating the index is likely to elongate Friday's gain of 1.69%. 

Both stocks and the yields rose on Friday even though the Nonfarm Payrolls figure showed the US economy lost a record 20.5 million jobs in April. Risk assets put in a positive performance, as the optimism generated by reports of the US-China trade talks and the decision by major nations to reopen their respective economies overshadowed the jobs report. 

Looking forward, the anti-risk yen is likely to remain under pressure amid risk-on action in stocks and other related markets. Reports that Japan is planning to lift the state of emergency could add to the bearish tone around the yen. 

Japan last week announced an extension of the nationwide state of emergency till the end of May, stating it would reassess the situation on May 14 and possibly lift the measures earlier for some prefectures, according to Reuters. 

Technical levels