US CPI just dropped at 3.4% — exactly in line with expectations.
No surprises, no drama. Markets were pricing this in, so we're not seeing wild swings. The Fed's been watching inflation like a hawk, and this number keeps them in that awkward zone where inflation isn't cooling fast enough to justify rate cuts, but it's not hot enough to justify more hikes either.
For crypto and risk assets, this is neutral-to-slightly-positive. We're stuck in this macro limbo where liquidity isn't expanding, but it's not contracting either. The real move comes when CPI starts trending meaningfully below 3% or if the Fed signals a pivot.
Right now? We wait. The next few prints matter more than this one.
No surprises, no drama. Markets were pricing this in, so we're not seeing wild swings. The Fed's been watching inflation like a hawk, and this number keeps them in that awkward zone where inflation isn't cooling fast enough to justify rate cuts, but it's not hot enough to justify more hikes either.
For crypto and risk assets, this is neutral-to-slightly-positive. We're stuck in this macro limbo where liquidity isn't expanding, but it's not contracting either. The real move comes when CPI starts trending meaningfully below 3% or if the Fed signals a pivot.
Right now? We wait. The next few prints matter more than this one.
