Bitcoin
and other cryptocurrencies were little changed Friday as the all-important monthly U.S. jobs report loomed. With digital assets at key technical levels—and vulnerable to macroeconomic forces—there is potential for volatility ahead.
The price of Bitcoin hovered around flat over the past 24 hours at near $29,100, remaining below $30,000, which it topped in April for the first time since last June amid a rally that has carried it some 70% higher this year. Bitcoin has since failed to consolidate above $30,000, viewed as technically and psychologically important because it represents where prices stood before the brunt of the bear market selloff.
“The first cryptocurrency overcame a sharp decline on May 1 and is now testing downside resistance through last month’s local highs,” said Alex Kuptsikevich, an analyst at broker FxPro, referencing the zone near $30,000 that Bitcoin has struggled to retake. “A consolidation above this level would be a significant signal for buyers and could trigger a growth surge.”
The U.S. jobs report for April lies ahead as a key catalyst, and is likely to swing the
Dow Jones Industrial Average
and
S&P 500
as much as Bitcoin. As risk-sensitive assets, both stocks and cryptos are vulnerable to macro forces that could shape the future of monetary policy from the Federal Reserve. The central bank’s aggressive tightening of financial conditions—this week, it raised interest rates for the 10th time in 14 months—has been a driving force behind declines across both equities and Bitcoin.
Markets are pricing in a decent chance that the Fed’s quarter-point rate hike this week will be the last, but the central bank has said it will continue to watch data to guide its inflation-fighting campaign. Tightness in the labor market has remained an inflationary force, putting increased emphasis on the monthly U.S. jobs report in recent months.
Economists surveyed by FactSet expect the U.S. to have added 180,000 jobs last month, down from 236,000 in March. Alongside the headline jobs figure, investors want to see other signs that labor market tightness is subsiding, such as in wage growth.
“A tempestuous week for global markets will come to a crescendo today,” said Marios Hadjikyriacos, an analyst at broker XM. “With the markets now pricing in almost even chances for the Fed to cut rates in July, the stakes are high.”
Beyond Bitcoin,
Ether
—the second-largest crypto—was flat at $1,900. Smaller cryptos or altcoins were slightly weaker, with both
Cardano
and
Polygon
down 1%. Memecoins exhibited similar action, with
Dogecoin
and
Shiba Inu
each shedding 1%.
Write to Jack Denton at [email protected]
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