BTC price shirks US PCE inflation win as Bitcoin $42K buyers step in

Bitcoin (BTC) failed to react to positive inflation cues on Dec. 22 as United States macro data boosted bets of an interest rate pivot.

Fed January pivot odds near 15% after PCE print

Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView tracked muted BTC price movements around the week’s final Wall Street open.

Despite a breakout beyond $44,000 earlier in the week, range resistance remained firmly in place for Bitcoin ahead of the U.S. holiday period.

The November print of the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Index, known to be the Federal Reserve’s “preferred” inflation gauge, nonetheless beat expectations.

The final number came in at 2.6% versus the anticipated 2.8%, further showing the impact of monetary policy tightening on rampant inflation.

Markets reacted in step, increasing their odds of interest rates cooling next month to around 15%, per data from CME Group’s FedWatch Tool.

“This is the lowest PCE inflation number since May 2021. Another welcomed sign by the Fed,” trading resource The Kobeissi Letter wrote in part of commentary on X (formerly Twitter).

Kobeissi added that November macro releases had almost unanimously adhered to the waning inflation narrative.

“Just about all of the inflation data for November has moved in the right direction,” it continued.

“This has reinforced market hopes of Fed rate cuts in 2024. Still, the question is how many rate cuts and when they'll begin.”

Dollar decline not enough for sideways Bitcoin

BTC price action offered little hope to bulls on the day despite the encouraging macro signals and a drop in U.S. dollar strength, which dropped to its lowest since late July.

Related: Bitcoin trader with $12K BTC price target warns 'weeks' to crypto comedown

Behind the scenes, popular trader Skew nonetheless noted rising bid liquidity on largest global exchange Binance, boosting $41,000 and $42,000 as support.

$BTC Binance Spot
Limit spot buyer nibbling here but not enough yet to force price higher

Takers will have to flip to buying spot again & then limit chasing bid
~ Key recipe for higher

Still heavy supply around $45K

Large spot bid around $42K now & other spot bids moved… pic.twitter.com/vNlaI4NWnD

— Skew Δ (@52kskew) December 22, 2023

In his latest trading advice, fellow trader Crypto Tony flagged $44,300 as a line in the sand for BTC/USD to reclaim in order to consider long positions.

$BTC / $USD - Update

Reclaim $44,300 and then you are in for a safer long position. Wait until then .. Trust Tony pic.twitter.com/A7NWwYWICs

— Crypto Tony (@CryptoTony__) December 22, 2023

Others noted the requirement for Bitcoin to crush its current 2023 highs, with a consolidatory structure in place for much of December.

“Bitcoin has formed a rectangle consolidation,” trader and analyst Alan Tardigrade told X subscribers on the day.

“If it breaks out the top resistance line, the measured target could reach $48k.”

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