Asia Market Open: Bitcoin Slips Under $100K, Stocks Slide as Inflation Reshapes Rate-Cut Bets

Bitcoin fell below $100,000 in Asian trading on Friday, with regional markets trading lower as traders scaled back expectations of a US interest rate cut next month after hawkish remarks from Federal Reserve officials reignited inflation fears.

The mood soured across the board, with Wall Street futures flashing red after Thursday’s rout that wiped out a four-day winning streak.

Market snapshot

Global Stocks Sink As Tech Rout Deepens And Inflation Fears Return

The Dow Jones dropped 1.65%, the S&P 500 slid 1.66% and the Nasdaq fell 2.29%, as investors dumped tech stocks led by Nvidia amid concerns over stretched valuations and policy uncertainty.

Across Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 lost 1.77%, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 fell 1.35% and New Zealand’s benchmark fell 1.58%.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng opened lower, while China’s Shanghai Composite slipped 0.16% after fresh data showed retail sales and industrial output slowed in October, dampening hopes for a recovery.

Bitcoin’s drop erased recent gains fueled by optimism around institutional inflows. The token traded below $100K for the first time this month, as liquidity thinned and momentum faded. Traders said renewed institutional conviction will be key for the next leg higher.

Maja Vujinovic, who leads digital assets at FG Nexus, said markets are currently under multiple layers of strain, with macro and tech-related risks combining with selling by long-term holders and a slowdown in institutional demand.

“That combination is what pushed Bitcoin below $100K,” she added. “It doesn’t signal the model is broken, but it does show we’re in a phase where Bitcoin’s upside is now more dependent on renewed institutional conviction and liquidity, not just headlines.”

In Europe, selling pressure deepened with Germany’s DAX down 1.39%, the UK’s FTSE 100 off 1.05%, and France’s CAC 40 edging 0.11% lower. The Euro Stoxx 50 also lost 0.83% as inflation jitters and weak corporate earnings weighed on sentiment.

Fed Officials Signal Caution, Dimming Hopes For Near-Term Policy Easing

Treasury yields climbed as traders dialed back bets on a December rate cut, with CME FedWatch data showing odds for easing dropping to about 46% from over 60% a day earlier.

Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack said rates should remain restrictive to curb inflation, while St. Louis Fed chief Alberto Musalem noted limited room to ease without fueling price pressures. Their remarks reinforced market expectations that the Fed may stay on hold longer.

The White House added to the gloom, saying October’s unemployment data may not be released following a record 43-day government shutdown that had already delayed key reports and clouded visibility on the economy.

The pullback came as traders shifted from rate-cut euphoria to a more sober outlook on inflation, pushing risk assets lower and prompting a flight to safety.

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