The strongest trend in the forex market at the moment is a falling USD and rising JPY. USD/JPY has been declining for nearly 11 weeks. This will be a big week in terms of U.S. data and there is talk that Japanese officials may intervene in the market is USD/JPY falls to 85.00. Watch for U.S. data on consumer confidence, durable goods, the beige book, GDP and the Chicago PMI. If the outlook continues to darken for the U.S. economy, look for this pair to continue sliding.

U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke roiled markets last week when he uttered that “the economic outlook remains unusually uncertain.” Markets take their cues from the Fed. Remember it was Bernanke’s comment in April 2009 about “green shoots” that helped prompt a huge turnaround in financial sentiment. Many traders stand by the old adage “don’t fight the Fed.” What Bernanke’s comment meant was that they are in data-watch mode, unsure of which direction the U.S. economy is headed. “We will continue to carefully assess ongoing financial and economic developments,” he said. His comments have focused the market’s attention on incoming U.S. economic data. As a result, the U.S. dollar is moving more than usual after economic data releases. We are seeing solid rallies against the yen on stronger economic data and deep slumps on soft figures. An “unusually uncertain” market is prone to big moves whenever there is a hint of clarity. Keep an eye out for signs that make the outlook more certain, for better or for worse.