Yen climbs off two-week low for third session versus dollar

Dollar tilted lower in Asian trade while still heading for the second weekly profit in a row and monthly gains versus yen, following earlier inflation data from Japan and ahead of a speech by Fed Governor John Williams later today. 

As of 06:16 GMT, USD/JPY shed 0.08% to 113.39, with a session-low at 113.34, and a high at 113.49. 

Earlier Japanese data showed consumer prices rose 1% y/y in November, same as October, while core prices, excluding fresh food, slowed down in growth to 0.8% from 1%. 

The unemployment rate in Japan rose to 2.4% from 2.3%, while industrial output rose 2.9%, compared to a 0.4% drop in September. 

Japanese housing start rose 0.3%, compared to a 1.5% drop in September, while an index tracking consumer sentiment receded to 42.9 from 43.0. 

Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John Williams is scheduled to participate in a panel discussion titled "The Global Economy: Addressing a Future Downturn" at the 80th Plenary Meeting of the Group of Thirty, in New York later today. 

The Fed releases the minutes of its November 7-8 meeting yesterday, at which there were discussions on the timeline for stopping overnight rate hikes in the future. 

In a speech earlier this week, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell noted how interest rates are only slightly below neutral levels, which was priced by markets as moderation in the pace of rate hikes in the near future.