The US session (New York open · the afternoon drive) · updated 2026-09-18 12:00 UTC.
Good afternoon. The BOJ raised rates to their highest since 1995, the yen sank anyway, and the dollar bid our last note flagged is still walking — so today continues that story, it doesn't reverse it. The 10-year Treasury's worst run in over a century and a fresh round of Iranian crypto sanctions round out the backdrop.
Nothing heavy on the US docket this window — Capacity Utilization, Industrial Production, the CB Leading Index, plus appearances from FOMC's Bowman and Schmid (all Low). Low-tier data, but Fed voices on a hike-week tape can still nudge the dollar.
On the barometer, the dollar's pressure valves are stretched thin: EUR/USD (1.14587, H4 RSI 27.3) and GBP/USD (1.33455, H4 RSI 26.2) both sit deep in oversold with no tested ceiling above and the floor far below — bearish, but stretched. USD/JPY (157.829, H4 RSI 79.5) is the mirror: bullish-leaning and pinned right at 157.84029, with 1.6 ATR of room below. Gold is squeezed between 4364.56 and 4385.02 — breakout on the table, direction unknown. Oil leans bearish; crypto stays the outlier, Bitcoin (RSI 71) and Ethereum (RSI 73) overbought. Watch whether the dollar bid extends or those stretched pairs finally breathe.
18 Sep 13:15 UTCUSD Low
18 Sep 13:15 UTCUSD Low
18 Sep 13:30 UTCUSD Low
18 Sep 14:00 UTCUSD Low
18 Sep 15:45 UTCUSD Low