SINGAPORE, July 3 Reuters The yen remained hunkered just below the psychologically important barrier of 145 per U.S. dollar on Monday, while the dollar was on the back foot after U.S. economic data last week showed slightly easing inflation and consumer spending.

The yen weakened 0.09 to 144.45 to start the second half of the year, having lost 9 against the dollar in the first six months of the year.

Against the euro, the yen was hovering at 157.66, just under the 15year low of 158 it touched last week. It rose to 183.58 per sterling , its highest since December 2015.

The Asian currency briefly passed 145 per dollar on Friday, hitting a near eightmonth low of 145.07 as investors keep an eye on whether Japanese authorities will intervene in the currency market.

Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki said on Friday Japan would take appropriate steps in response to excessive yen weakening, in the latest comment from government ministers and officials.

The comments from Suzuki helped curb the yen39;s losses on Friday.

Intervention is best conceived of as an escalation ladder, said Marc Chandler, chief market strategist at Bannockburn Forex.

Among the highest rungs is the coordinated intervention… The low rungs on the escalation ladder are different types of verbal intervention.

Japan bought yen in September, its first foray in the market to boost its currency since 1998, after a Bank of Japan BOJ decision to maintain ultraloose policy drove the yen as low as 145 per…