The yen briefly breached the key level of 150 against the dollar as traders positioned for a stronger likelihood of the Bank of Japan raising interest rates in December while the Federal Reserve cuts US borrowing costs.

The Japanese yen rose to a six-week high against the dollar Friday. While trading was thin because of the Black Friday holiday in the U.S., the moves are still worth watching after volatility in the Asian currency sparked market turmoil earlier this year.

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda said the timing of the next interest rate hike was "approaching" as the economy was moving in line with the central bank's forecasts, the Nikkei newspaper reported, leaving open the chance of a December rate increase.

The yen jumped as much as 1% to a six-week high at 150 per dollar on Friday, after faster than expected inflation in Tokyo supported bets for a Bank of Japan interest rate hike next month. The dollar sagged against most major peers in trading thinned by the U.

Japanese corporate borrowers are selling bonds at a faster pace as speculation grows the Bank of Japan may raise interest rates again next month.