Electronic quotation boards display the Japanese yen's rate against the US dollar at a foreign exchange brokerage in Tokyo on Jan 16, 2023. (KAZUHIRO NOGI / AFP)

SINGAPORE/LONDON – The dollar started the week on the back foot, hitting a seven-month low against a basket of major peers in Asian trade, with the yen in particular focus as traders ramped up bets the Bank of Japan will tweak its yield control policy further.

The euro hit a fresh nine-month top of $1.0874 in early trade before retreating to $1.0861, down 0.16 percent by 0920 GMT, while the Australian dollar breached the key $0.7000 level for the first time since August, before dipping back to $0.6959.

A particular focus for currency markets this week is the Japanese yen, due to speculation that the Bank of Japan will make further tweaks to, or fully abandon, its yield control policy at its meeting this week

READ MORE: Asian shares cautious, BOJ faces crunch policy decision

Thanks also to early strength from sterling and the Japanese yen, the dollar index , which tracks the US unit against a basket of currencies, slumped to a seven-month trough of 101.77, extending its selloff from last week after data showed that US consumer prices fell for the first time in more than 2-1/2 years in December.

"Every G10 currency gained versus the US dollar last week helped by the US inflation data for December which confirmed a continued easing in inflation pressures that reinforces the prospect of the Fed pausing its tightening cycle, possibly after the March FOMC meeting," said MUFG analysts in a note.

The Fed's aggressive rate increases were a main driver of the dollar index's 8 percent surge last year.

Markets are now pricing in a 91 percent chance of a 25-basis-point increase when the Fed announces its policy decision in February, with a 9 percent chance of a 50-bp hike.

READ MORE: Powell: Fed needs independence to fight inflation

The dollar steadied in European trading, regaining ground against the pound which was last down 0.4 percent at $1.2185.

Markets challenge BOJ 

A particular focus for currency markets this week is the Japanese yen, due to speculation that the Bank of Japan will make further tweaks to, or fully abandon, its yield control policy at its meeting this week.

A Japanese flag flutters at the Bank of Japan headquarters in Tokyo on July 29, 2022. (SHUJI KAJIYAMA / AP)

The dollar slipped to a more than seven-month low on the yen in early trading, before recovering and was last at 128.35 yen, up 0.4 percent.

"I think the whole world will be focused on Wednesday … and probably the week in G10 (currencies) will be defined by what happens to the yen and yen crosses, out of that," said Ray Attrill, head of FX strategy at National Australia Bank (NAB).

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"I don't think (the BOJ) has the luxury of time to say that they're going to assess and wait until Q2 or Kuroda to see out his term without making any further changes."

BOJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda will step down in April.

Investors have been pressing for the BOJ to shift away from its ultra-easy monetary policy, which caused the yield on Japan's benchmark 10-year government bonds to breach the central bank's new ceiling for two sessions. 

US markets are closed on Monday for a holiday, making for thin trading.