Bitcoin climbed back above $81,000 after the U.S. stock market opened on Oct. 29, recovering from an overnight low even as disappointing results from Alphabet weighed on technology shares. TradingView data showed BTC/USD reaching $81,547 after falling as low as $79,607 following the previous day's close.
The move put Bitcoin back near a technical area closely watched by chart analysts, while fresh U.S. economic data reinforced the Federal Reserve's case for keeping borrowing costs elevated. September inflation accelerated on a monthly basis, and the final estimate for third-quarter GDP exceeded forecasts.
Bitcoin's ability to rebound while major U.S. equities opened lower offered a contrast with recent sessions in which crypto and large-cap technology stocks had often moved in the same direction. One day of divergent trading does not establish a lasting break in that relationship, but it places added attention on whether Bitcoin can retain support around $80,000 as macroeconomic conditions remain restrictive.
Inflation and GDP exceed expectations
The Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that the Personal Consumption Expenditures price index rose 0.5% in September from August and 3.6% from a year earlier. The core PCE measure, which excludes food and energy prices and is closely followed by Federal Reserve officials, increased 3.1% year on year.
The figures arrived alongside the final estimate for U.S. third-quarter gross domestic product, which showed annualized growth of 3.4%. That was above the 3.2% forecast cited in the market report.
Chris Rupkey, chief economist at Fwdbonds, told CNBC that real GDP had returned above a 3% annualized pace for the first time in a year. Stronger growth gives policymakers less reason to rush toward lower interest rates, particularly when inflation remains above the Fed's long-term target.
The Federal Reserve left its benchmark rate unchanged in a 3.75% to 4% range at its Wednesday Federal Open Market Committee meeting. In the post-meeting statement, Kevin Warsh, chair of the Federal Reserve, said economic activity was "expanding at a strong pace" and described inflation as "elevated."
That combination — resilient growth and sticky price pressures — can limit expectations for rapid monetary easing. Higher rates tend to raise the return available on cash and government debt while increasing financing costs across the economy, conditions that have often pressured more speculative markets.
Tech-led stock decline contrasts with Bitcoin rebound
U.S. stocks opened lower, with Alphabet shares falling 12% after the company reported earnings and third-quarter revenue that missed market expectations. The decline put renewed focus on the degree to which technology-sector earnings have supported broader equity valuations.
Bitcoin initially fell below $80,000 before recovering during the same period. The rebound does not by itself show that capital rotated from technology shares into crypto assets, and the available market data does not establish a direct flow between the two. It does show that Bitcoin buyers defended a closely watched round-number area while the equity market was dealing with a company-specific sell-off in one of its largest constituents.
The distinction could become more relevant if Bitcoin continues to hold above $80,000 while equity volatility rises. Crypto has frequently traded as a high-beta asset during periods of sharp moves in stocks, particularly when changing rate expectations drive both markets. A sustained separation would require more than a single session, especially with the same inflation and Federal Reserve outlook still shaping risk appetite across global markets.
$81,400 becomes a weekly chart level
Rekt Capital, a cryptocurrency market analyst, identified $81,400 as an area Bitcoin needs to reclaim by the weekly close. In a post on X, the analyst described price action around weekly levels near $80,400 and $81,400 as "zig-zagging."
The range reflects the market's immediate decision point. A weekly close above $81,400 would put Bitcoin back over a level that traders are treating as resistance following the latest pullback. Failure to retain the nearby $80,400 area, meanwhile, would leave the market exposed to another test of the recent low near $79,607.
Round-number levels can attract outsized attention because they concentrate short-term orders and positioning. In Bitcoin's case, $80,000 has become a psychological marker as well as a price zone tested during the latest decline. The recovery to $81,547 showed demand above that threshold, but it did not yet establish a decisive breakout beyond the week's range.
October heads for a monthly loss
Bitcoin was down 3.3% for October at the time of the report, leaving the market on course for a negative month despite the late-session recovery. The result would contrast with Bitcoin's historical tendency to post strong October performance, though seasonal averages provide limited guidance during a period dominated by inflation readings, Fed policy and corporate earnings.
The next few sessions will determine whether the move above $81,000 develops into a recovery or remains a rebound inside a broader consolidation range. With U.S. growth stronger than expected and inflation still elevated, Bitcoin's near-term direction may depend less on the calendar and more on whether buyers can turn the $81,400 region from resistance into support.
For deeper context on macro trends shaping BTC, explore how Fed rate decisions influence Bitcoin volatility and refine your market timing.
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