13th August 2026 – (New York) Bitcoin softened around the Wall Street open despite relief from United States inflation data, slipping beneath $63,500 and testing support close to $63,000 as traders assessed the macro backdrop. July consumer prices rose 0.1 per cent on the month and 3.4 per cent on the year, broadly in line with expectations. Within the basket, shelter increased by 0.1 per cent and food away from home by 0.3 per cent, while energy retreated 1.5 per cent, helping to contain volatility across risk assets and leaving gold steady after a nine‑week high.
Market focus turned to the interest‑rate outlook, with some asset managers arguing that an inflation print consistent with forecasts, alongside softer labour data, strengthens the case for the Federal Reserve to keep policy unchanged rather than tighten further. Others cautioned that services‑led price pressures may prove persistent, even if they are less sensitive to borrowing costs. Options pricing signalled a preference for downside protection into late August, with puts around $60,000 commanding a premium over comparable upside strikes near $70,000, underscoring nerves ahead of additional data.
Interest‑rate probabilities implied by futures suggested about a 60 per cent chance of the Fed holding its target range at the September meeting, up markedly from around 30 per cent a month earlier, as participants awaited Thursday’s producer price figures for confirmation of a cooling trend. Technical commentators warned that repeated rebounds from roughly $63,000 have been losing momentum, leaving the threshold more vulnerable to a break should buyers fail to reassert control. At the same time, analysts highlighted persistent overhead resistance after multiple intraday pushes above $65,000 failed to deliver a daily close beyond that level since late July, even as major equity indices notched fresh all‑time highs.