Forex - USD/JPY gains on weak U.S. data, corporate earnings

Investing.com - The dollar rose against the yen on Friday as investors opted to hole up in safe-haven dollar positions in wake of weak U.S. housing data and poor third-quarter earnings results out of the U.S.

In U.S. trading on Friday, USD/JPY was trading at 79.30, up 0.03%, up from a session low of 79.14 and off a high of 79.43.

The pair was likely to find support at 79.14, the earlier low, and resistance at 79.43, the earlier high.

U.S. existing home sales fell in September but in line with expectations, industry data revealed on Friday.

In a report, the National Association of Realtors said that home sales fell 1.7% to 4.75 million from 4.83 million in August, whose figure was revised up from 4.82 million.

Analysts had expected existing home sales to fall to 4.75 million last month.

While in line with expectations, the report stoked bearish sentiments on Wall Street and sent investors chasing the dollar, ditching the euro and higher-yielding currencies in the process.

Earnings fueled dollar demand even more.

Microsoft reported late Thursday that its third-quarter net income fell 22% to USD4.47 billion, which missed expectations, while revenue fell 8% on year to USD16.01 billion.

General Electric, meanwhile, reported earlier that its third-quarter net income rose 8% to USD3.49 billion, while revenue rose 3% to USD36.35, missing market expectations.

Search giant Google released earnings earlier than planned late Thursday, which sparked confusion, and missed estimates as well.

Both currencies saw demand on news Spain won't rush to seek rescue financing.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said his government felt it was under no pressure to seek a bailout, which pushed the euro down against safe-haven currencies, including the yen.

Requesting financial assistance would allow Spain to tap the European Central Bank's bond-buying program, which would lower yields in Spanish government debt auctions and ease credit conditions in the country.

The yen, meanwhile was up against the pound and up against the euro, with GBP/JPY down 0.17% and trading at 126.95 and EUR/JPY trading down 0.30% at 103.26.