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#USIranStrikesSinkBitcoinBelow$73000 The U.S. Commerce Department released the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index data for April 2026. As the Federal Reserve's preferred gauge for measuring inflation, this report is highly scrutinized by investors. Key Takeaways from the April Report: Three-Year High: Headline annual PCE inflation climbed to 3.8% year-over-year (up from 3.5% in March). This represents the highest inflation reading the U.S. has seen since May 2023. The Main Catalyst: The sharp re-acceleration in consumer prices has been heavily propelled by a surge in global energy costs and gasoline prices, exacerbated by ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East affecting the Strait of Hormuz. Core PCE Figures: Core PCE inflation—which strips out volatile food and energy costs to show underlying trends—rose to 3.3% annually. However, the month-over-month core reading came in at a slightly softer-than-expected 0.2%. Why the Crypto Market Reacted: Cryptocurrencies and other risk assets generally thrive in environments with high liquidity and low interest rates. Because headline inflation has hit a three-year peak well above the Federal Reserve's 2.0% target, it complicates the central bank's monetary strategy. The data suggests that under the new Fed leadership, the central bank will likely hold interest rates "higher for longer" to cool down the economy, crushing short-term investor hopes for interest rate cuts. Consequently, the combination of hot macro data and active geopolitical uncertainty triggered a massive liquidation cascade in the crypto space, temporarily knocking $BTC down to the $72,000–$73,000 range. $BTC #StellarRises10.5PercentAmidDecline