The Japanese yen traded around 152.5 per dollar on Thursday, lingering near its weakest level since February as political shifts and soft economic data dampened prospects for Bank of Japan rate hikes. Conservative leader Sanae Takaichi, a strong advocate of Abenomics-style stimulus, secured a leadership victory that positions her to become Japan’s next prime minister, fueling expectations for higher fiscal spending and continued accommodative monetary settings. Meanwhile, Japan’s real wages dropped 1.4% in August from a year earlier, extending an eight-month streak of declines as inflation continued to outpace pay growth. BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda recently stated that the bank could raise rates if the economy and prices evolve as expected, though he highlighted downside risks to growth. Investors now await Friday’s producer inflation data for further policy clues.