Wall Street analysts are anticipating a decline in the US consumer price index (CPI) to 3.6%, sparking a modest recovery in Bitcoin’s value.
A Close Watch on Inflation
As the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics prepares to unveil the consumer price index (CPI) data for September, Wall Street and the cryptocurrency market are attentive.
A projected annual inflation rate of 3.6%, marking a 0.1% decrease from the previous month, carries implications for both traditional and digital assets. After two consecutive months of increasing inflation, a third month of rising CPI could stir unease among investors and prolong Bitcoin’s ascent.
Monetary Policy in the Balance
Core inflation, a metric that strips out the unpredictable food and energy sectors, has retreated to 4.1% from 4.3%. The forthcoming CPI data is pivotal, casting its shadow over the Federal Reserve’s impending decisions on monetary policy.
Last month, interest rates remained static as the Fed assessed the ramifications of earlier hikes aimed at reigning in inflation. The unfolding CPI narrative will be instrumental in dictating the pace and extent of future monetary tightening measures, casting ripples across both conventional and crypto markets.
Market Anticipation Amid Varied Predictions
Market participants, with bated breath, anticipate the release of the September CPI, with prominent financial institutions aligning with JPMorgan’s estimation of a 3.6% figure. The consensus, influenced by above-expectation PPI and Core PPI inflation figures released on Wednesday, fuels the anticipation of a subtle market upswing.
Institutions like Goldman Sachs, Bloomberg, and Morgan Stanley echo this sentiment, projecting identical CPI expectations. Contrarily, National Bank and CIBC have pegged their expectations slightly higher at 3.7%, while RBC adopts a more optimistic outlook, forecasting a drop to 3.5%
Fed officials are hinting they might not raise the interest rate, which is already at a 22-year high. These comments come after the IMF warned of rising inflation and slower economic growth in 2024.
The U.S. dollar index’s dip has given Bitcoin a boost, though market uncertainty has some traders on the sidelines. However, institutional investors are displaying renewed interest in crypto, signaling a possible uptrend. This mixed sentiment is creating a dynamic yet cautious atmosphere in the crypto market.
Crypto Market Reacts to Economic Indicators and Global Tensions
Bitcoin, along with altcoins like Ethereum and XRP, is currently in a corrective phase, impacted by both global economic indicators and geopolitical tensions. The imminent release of the U.S. CPI data is inducing volatility in the crypto market, as investors anticipate the potential impact of inflation figures.
Bitcoin is experiencing a 2% decline, with Ethereum and XRP echoing similar downturns. The Israel-Hamas conflict exacerbating oil prices adds another layer of complexity, emphasizing the critical nature of the upcoming core CPI data in steering market sentiment and crypto price directions.