• USD/JPY on track for a positive weekly close, yet still under key resistances, maintaining the downtrend.
• Resistance challenges include Kijun-Sen at 144.40 and Ichimoku Cloud; 50-DMA approaching a bearish cross with 100 and 200-DMAs.
• Buyer momentum builds with RSI rising, though remains below the critical 60 mark needed to overturn the downtrend.
• Potential upside targets 145.00 and the September 3 high at 147.21; a drop below 143.00 could test support at 142.04 (Tenkan-Sen).

The USD/JPY registers gain for back-to-back days, yet it remains shy of decisively cracking the 144.00 figure despite registering a weekly high of 144.49. At the time of writing, the pair exchanged hands at 143.96, up by 0.93%.

USD/JPY Price Forecast: Technical outlook

The pair is set to end the week positively, but the downtrend remains. The USD/JPY has failed to reclaim the Kijun-Sen at 144.46, and price action remains below the Ichimoku Cloud (Kumo).

In fact, the trend could accelerate as the 50-day moving average (DMA) crosses below the 100 and 200-DMAs, with the former closing the gap with the latter.

Momentum favors buyers as the Relative Strength Index (RSI) aims upward. However, it remains far from testing the 60 level, which is usually sought as a crucial break to change the USD/JPY ongoing downtrend.