The Japanese yen traded around 156 per dollar on Friday after surging for two consecutive sessions, putting it on track to gain about 2.5% for its strongest weekly performance since Tokyo and Washington carried out a joint yen-buying operation in late July. There is no confirmation that this week’s rally was driven by official intervention, although traders have speculated that authorities conducted a rate check, which typically precedes intervention. Markets also weighed the prospects for more aggressive interest rate hikes by the Bank of Japan this year following hawkish remarks from central bank officials and mounting pressure from the US to support the yen through tighter monetary policy. Elsewhere, the yen also benefited from broad dollar weakness after Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said he would support keeping rates steady if price pressures continue to ease.