The Japanese yen steadied near 157 per dollar on Friday, halting its recent slide after Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama suggested that intervention was possible to curb excessive volatility and speculative moves. Traders now anticipate that authorities could act again if the currency approaches 160 per dollar, consistent with past intervention levels. Despite the pause, the yen is set to lose nearly 2% for the week, remaining near its weakest level in ten months ahead of an expected stimulus announcement from Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government, projected to exceed 20 trillion yen. The massive spending plan has raised concerns over Japan’s fiscal health, fueling a 'Sell Japan' trend that pressured both the yen and domestic bonds. On the data front, Japan’s core inflation rose to a three-month high in October, while exports exceeded expectations.