Bitcoin spikes with stocks as US inflation hits highest since 1981

Bitcoin (BTC) saw a brief boost on April 12 after the United States saw its highest Consumer Price Index (CPI) data since 1981.

BTC/USD 1-hour candle chart (Bitstamp). Source: TradingView

Analyst: Inflation echoes “mythical stories”

Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView showed BTC/USD spiking $400 instantly as the data was released.

The U.S. CPI was up 8.5% year-on-year and rose 1.2% in March, alone, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The most in over 40 years, the results showcased the inflationary pressures active throughout the economy and implied that the Federal Reserve had much ground to make up. Criticism of the Fed was everywhere, including from the likes of traditional economists such as Steve Hanke.

“U.S. CPI came in at *8.5%* level, which means that inflation is likely already in the double digits,” Gabor Gurbacs, director of digital assets strategy at VanEck, responded

“A few years ago these type of numbers were mythical stories associated with Venezuela, Argentina, Zimbabwe and Weimar. Central banks have failed. It’s time for plan ₿.”

Bitcoin’s reaction was in line with correlated stock markets, the S&P 500 likewise gaining 1% on the open and Asian markets recovering from previous losses.

“Inflation is worse than you think, and Bitcoin is better than you know,” MicroStategy CEO Michael Saylor commented, echoing Gurbacs.

U.S. CPI trends chart. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Will RSI deliver for bulls again?

Meanwhile, on-chain signals were giving hope to some analysts on the day despite BTC/USD losing $40,000 support overnight.

Related: BTC stocks correlation ‘not what we want’ — 5 things to know in Bitcoin this week

Chief among these was Bitcoin’s relative strength index (RSI), now eyed as a potential pretext for a trend turnaround.

Returning to a reading of 35 this week, RSI thus printed a pattern, which historically saw upside ensue, popular Twitter account BTCfuel noted.

As Cointelegraph reported, BTC price predictions included a leg down to $30,000 in June as a result of the macro picture.

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