Leveraged traders have unwound their previous short positions in the Japanese Yen and started building bullish positions, now holding approximately JPY 251 billion (about $1.6 billion) in long Yen positions as of the week ending September 15, according to data released by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on Friday. This marks the first time since July 2025 that hedge funds have held a net bullish stance on the Yen, signaling a significant shift in market sentiment. This shift in positioning occurred before both the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan (BOJ) raised interest rates this week. However, the BOJ's statements failed to meet market expectations for sustained rate hikes, causing the Yen to fall by as much as 1.3% on Friday. According to Nikkei, the Bank of Japan has inquired about exchange rate levels with market participants, a move often seen as a precursor to official intervention.